A man who blackmailed women out of tens of thousands of pounds using Instagram and Moonpig cards has been sentenced to seven years and three months in jail.
Zeashan Mahmood, 29, threatened to release intimate videos and photos of his two victims, blackmailing them over a three-year period.
The Preston man’s victims sent him more than £80,000 in payments in a bid to stop him posting the private images online.
Mahmood had received private pictures and videos of one of his victims in 2017, which he later used to pressure her into sending him money, saying he was in financial difficulty.
Preston Crown Court heard that he contacted her through Instagram under an alias, threatening to share the images if she did not send him money, and even making threats against her loved ones.
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She sent him around £20,000 in payments.
His second victim told the court that she had disclosed details of an intimate sexual experience to Mahmood – he later claimed he had a video of the incident and demanded £7000, or he’d send it to her family.
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He also demanded that the victim send intimate pictures, videos and texts, again creating fake Instagram accounts to continue contacting her, or he would increase the fee.
He claimed that the blackmail was part of his involvement in an organised crime group.
Across a three year period, the victim sent Mahmood in excess of £66,000 – but he still posted the videos on the internet and encouraged people to share them around.
When she reported him to the police, the defendant sent Moonpig cards to her address, telling her ‘money is needed’, and sent emails saying ‘guess who is alive’ alongside sexual images of the victim.
He was arrested in February 2021 as part of a joint effort between Greater Manchester Police and Lancashire Police.
Detective Constable Brundrett, of GMP Manchester’s Criminal Investigation Department, said: “I would like to thank the victims for having the bravery to speak out about this horrific and long-term abuse.
“Over three years, Mahmood operated a web of lies and manipulated the victims to get exactly what he wanted, when he wanted.
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“The severity of these offences should not be underestimated. Today’s sentence is much deserved and reaffirms our commitment as police officers to put these perpetrators behind bars and prevent this awful crime from occurring.”
Featured image: GMP
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Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
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Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Daisy Jackson -
11th August 2022 
