A man has been sentenced after a care home resident in Oldham was sexually assaulted in the early hours of the morning on New Year’s Day.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) received reports of a man carrying a knife at a care home in Oldham at around 1:45am on Sunday 1 January 2023, and when officers attended the scene and searched the premises, they found a young male inside – all before establishing that an 79-year-old woman had been sexually assaulted.
The intruder was immediately arrested at the scene.
The elderly victim was then taken to Saint Marys Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) for tests, where she, along with her family, received “immediate support and treatment from specialist officers and support services”, according to GMP.
After extensive CCTV analysis, and forensic analysis of the victim’s and suspects body and clothing, police were able to identify the suspect’s DNA was a match with previously logged DNA on a database.
ADVERTISEMENT
Man who attempted to rape an elderly woman inside an Oldham care home jailed / Credit: GMP
It was later confirmed that 22-year-old Jake Astley, of no fixed address, had been charged with one count of knowingly trespassing on a premises with intent to commit a sexual offence, one count of committing an offence with the intention of committing a sexual offence, one count of affray, and one count of assault.
Following being charged, Astley was then remanded to await trial – with an additional charge of attempted rape also being added to his indictment.
ADVERTISEMENT
He pleaded guilty to the charge of attempted rape and assault.
And finally yesterday (31 July), GMP confirmed that Astley was sentenced to 14 years (less 25% credit for plea) equating to 10 ½ years for rape, and serving an 18 month concurrent sentence for assault.
#JAILED | Today, Jake Astley (02/03/2001) of no fixed abode was sentenced to 10 ½ years for the attempt rape and assault of an elderly woman at a care home in #Oldham on New Year's Day.
This was after extensive CCTV and forensic analysis by officers.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) July 31, 2023
DC Sharon Harper, of GMP’s Oldham District, said has continued to assure members of the public that incidents of this horrific and distressing nature are “extremely rare”, but the sentencing demonstrates “the seriousness with which Greater Manchester Police deal with report of sexual assaults”.
ADVERTISEMENT
Speaking after the sentencing trial, DC Harper continued: “Astley was able to gain access to the premises, and arrogantly and knowingly walk through the care home to commit crime where vulnerable adults resided whilst he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
“He not only put the care home’s residents and staff through danger by threatening them with a knife and chasing them through their place of work or their home with a knife, but he then committed further atrocious crimes to a vulnerable elderly woman.
“He knowingly entered the victim’s bedroom, preyed upon her vulnerabilities, and began to assault and sexually assault her. His crimes are horrific and his lack of remorse for the victim and her welfare is despicable.
“Astley is a dangerous individual who fully deserves the sentence imposed on him.
Have you or do you know someone who has been a victim of rape or sexual assault?
GMP encourages victims not to suffer in silence and report it to the police by either calling 101 or 999 in an emergency, reporting information and crimes online using the ‘report’ tool, or alternatively reporting anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
ADVERTISEMENT
There’s also lots of organisations and agencies available across Greater Manchester that can help and provide support.
Teen sentenced after deliberately driving into a female police officer in Stockport
Emily Sergeant
A teen who deliberately drove into a female police officer at a retail park Stockport earlier this year has been sentenced.
Harvey Bell was at a retail park on Wilmslow Road in Cheadle back on 25 January 2025 when he seriously injured a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer during a shocking incident – which left the officer requiring hospital treatment.
At the time, the 19-year-old from Knutsford was present while police were investigating reports of class C drug use in a car park.
Police parked in front of an Audi and the officer signalled for Bell to remain stationary and turn the engine off, but instead he reversed, and as the officer approached the front windscreen, Bell drove at the officer, knocking her to the ground.
He then proceeded to drive over her legs with both sets of wheels, before heading out of the car park at speed.
#JAILED | A man who deliberately drove into a police officer in Stockport has been jailed.
Harvey Bell (12/08/2005) has been sentenced to 31 months in a Young Offenders Institute and was disqualified from driving for two years.
— Stockport Police (GMP) (@GMPStockport) June 4, 2025
Bell was subsequently arrested the following day and made no comment in his police interview, but then went on to plead guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, as well as possession of cannabis on 27 March 2025.
The teen appeared at Manchester Crown Court this week where he was sentenced to 31 months in a Young Offenders Institute, and was also disqualified from driving for two years – which will take effect when he is released.
“What [Bell] did to me is permanently in the back of my mind, every call I go to, I feel the apprehension, the fear that any incident, no matter how innocuous it appears, can end with being assaulted or hurt,” the officer explained in a powerful victim impact statement read in court.
“This is an unseen result of Bell’s assault on me.”
She continued: “I know that Bell’s abhorrent behaviour is an exception, and the majority of the public we serve do not wish us harm, but assaults on police need to stop. An attack on a police officer is an attack on us all.
“Bell is a danger to society and had total disregard for my life.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
IKEA announces decision to close popular Greater Manchester site
Emily Sergeant
It’s the end of the road for one of IKEA’s popular Greater Manchester sites.
The Swedish furniture giant has announced its decision to close its ‘Plan and Order Point’ over in Stockport in a couple of weeks time.
The store – which is located in Stockport town centre’s Merseyway Shopping Centre – launched to huge success back in March 2023, and at the time, was the second of this ‘test and trial’ format to open in the UK, becoming a smaller space dedicated to kitchen and home planning, as well as ordering items.
IKEA says the closure comes as a result of ‘valuable learnings’ which plan to take this conceptual format in a direction to ‘better suit the needs of UK customers’.
IKEA is closing its close popular Stockport site this month / Credit: Jon Super (via IKEA)
Since the opening of the Stockport Plan and Order Point, IKEA claims it has seen an increased demand for Click and Collect services, a desire by customers to shop a smaller selection of home furnishing accessories, as well as the ability to return goods to physical IKEA units, and this is all something which the current location is unable to offer.
Learning from this change in consumer habits, the company says its future Plan and Order Point openings – including in those in other northern cities like Hull and York – will offer these services.
IKEA says it also remains ‘committed’ to trialling new formats, such as its upcoming small stores, one of which will open in nearby Chester later this year.
Luckily for IKEA fans, the retailer has confirmed that its major Greater Manchester store in Ashton-under-Lyne, as well as the neighbouring store in Warrington, will remain open as normal, offering all the services available at Stockport and more.
The Swedish furniture says the closure comes as a result of ‘valuable learnings’ about customer needs / Credit: Jon Super (via IKEA)
In addition to the upcoming opening of a smaller store in Chester, IKEA has revealed that the North West continues to be an area of interest for future expansion.
“After careful evaluation, we’ve made the difficult decision to close the IKEA Plan and Order Point at Merseyway Shopping Centre,” explained Salma Azad, who is one of IKEA’s Area Managers.
“In the two years since opening, we’ve taken valuable learnings, including how our customers prefer to meet IKEA, and we’ll take these insights into future openings, to serve shoppers in a more impactful way.”
Thanks to last year’s Click and Collect expansion, Stockport residents can now pick up purchases from Tesco Extra Stockport and Tesco Extra Stretford, as well as the Manchester store and the upcoming small store in Chester.
Stockport Plan and Order Point’s final day of trading will be on 16 June.
Emily Sergeant -
1st August 2023 
