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More than 300 ‘suspected’ domestic abusers arrested across Greater Manchester in just a week

Taking action and making it count.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 15th April 2025

More than 300 ‘suspected’ domestic abusers have been arrested across Greater Manchester in just a week alone.

Each week, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) deploys resources in every borough that are tasked specifically with targeting those perpetrating domestic abuse, and now, some new data released by the police service shows just how effective those resources are at protecting victims.

Between 31 March and 6 April alone, a total of 326 people who were wanted for domestic abuse offences or were reported during incidents were arrested.

Of those arrested, more than a third have already resulted in what GMP has called a ‘positive outcome’ for the victim.

Many of those cases remain under further investigation, so that police can build ‘strong evidential packages’ to present to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

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Again in the same week, police successfully secured 30 Domestic Violence and Domestic Abuse Protection notices and orders, which effectively prohibit the perpetrators from committing further offences, and a further 85 ‘welfare or compliance checks’ were carried out on orders already in place across the region to ensure victims are safe and perpetrators are sticking with the prohibitions.

Information under the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme – otherwise known as Clare’s Law – was also disclosed by police to 59 people, with the intent of enabling them to make informed choices about the relationships they are currently in.

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“Over the last four years, we have made significant improvements to the way that we deal with this devastating issue and support those suffering, as we recognise that our past response was simply not good enough, and let people down,” commented Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker, who is GMP’s lead for Protecting Vulnerable People.

“These improvements have been across the board – from the first moment of contact we have with a victim or survivor, all the way through to taking cases to court.

“What was achieved last week is just a glimpse into the work which happens continuously behind the scenes to tackle domestic abuse and protect vulnerable victims across the region.

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“Domestic abuse is one of the most complex crimes that we in policing deal with.

“Protecting those who are vulnerable will always be our top priority, whether victims are women, men, or children. It’s important that we recognise we still have more to do, but also that the GMP of today is much different, and much improved, than the GMP of the past.”

Featured Image – Rawpixel

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Onlookers ‘in tears’ after tiny duckling rescued from storm drain in beauty spot

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The RSPCA has shared a video of a tiny duckling being rescued from a storm drain

The RSPCA has shared a heartwarming video of a reunion between a tiny duckling and his mum, after the baby bird fell into a storm drain.

The charity, with the help of staff in the nearby Grandpa Greene’s Luxury Ice Cream Parlour, managed to fish the tiny bird out of the storm drain in a painstaking two-hour-long operation.

Miraculously, the duckling was unharmed, and his mum was waiting nearby on the canal in Saddleworth ready to be reunited with her baby.

The RSPCA has now thanked the staff member who helped rescue the duckling, and issued a warning to the public to keep dogs on a lead when near wildlife, believing the poor bird was chased by a dog before falling down the five-feet-high grid.

The rescue operation too place in Diggle last Wednesday 9 April, with Animal Rescue Officer Lee Ferrans taking on the ‘long and painstaking’ process of tempting the duckling into a net.     

Lee said: “I wasn’t able to lift the grid so the only thing I could do was push an extendable pole straight down and try to catch the duckling in a net. There wasn’t a lot of room for manoeuvre and the net kept catching on all the debris.

“Just when I thought I’d been successful, the duckling kept disappearing into a drain on one side and then popping out again. A member of staff from Grandpa Greene’s had just finished her shift and came across to the other side of the canal to help me. I unscrewed the top of the pole with the net and held it down on one side of the drain while she used another section to gently encourage the bird to go into the net.

“It was quite a long and painstaking rescue but we eventually managed to bring the little one back up safely after more than two hours.”

The pair then placed the duckling into a cardboard box before heading further up the canal to reunite them with their mother and six sibling ducklings.

The adult duck ‘instantly recognised’ the chirping and swam straight towards it.

Lee added: “A little crowd had gathered and as the family were reunited people were shedding tears. It was a really lovely moment to see them all back together.

“I’d especially like to thank the member of staff from Grandpa Greene’s who offered an extra pair of hands – I couldn’t have done it without her – and to all the people in the area who stopped and were concerned.

“Storm drains can be a bit of a menace for ducklings, especially at this time of the year when there are babies around, and this brood was only a few days old.”

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Featured image: RSPCA

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Man jailed for throwing acid in the face of a 16-year-old boy

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Man jailed for throwing acid in the face of a 16-year-old boy

A man has been thrown behind bars for eight years and two months after throwing a corrosive substance over a 16-year-old boy, leaving him with serious injuries.

When Gilson Martins of Ashton Street, Rochdale, was arrested, he was found to be in possession of acid, being kept in a bottle of hair dye.

He pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of a corrosive substance, and witness intimidation, and was also sentenced for unrelated drugs offences in 2022.

On 24 March 2024, Martins plotted the attack on his 16-year-old victim, even demonstrating to another man how effective the acid would be by using it on a piece of paper.

The victim was then lured to an address in the Woodley area by an accomplice, where he was confronted by Martins.

When an altercation broke out, a corrosive substance was thrown over the teen.

He was taken to hospital with serious injuries which required intensive treatment at a specialist burns unit, with several more procedures taking place since.

When a man spoke to police about the acid attack, Martins attended his home and threatened to ‘stab him, throw acid on him, and carve his name’ into him.

The man in question barricaded himself in his bedroom while Martins knifed the door, fleeing shortly before police arrived.

He was arrested by armed officers on 10 April this year, where he was found with a bottle of hair dye.

Detective Constable Heather Parke, from GMP’s Stockport district, said: “The effects of attacks involving corrosive substances are well-known, and can result in severe, life-changing injuries or even death.

“Using them in attacks is utterly vile and I am glad Martins is now behind bars for his vicious assault. His victim received injuries from which he is still suffering, and has already received numerous treatments.

“We have zero tolerance for these sort of crimes, and we put considerable resources into ensuring that Martins was arrested, charged, and sentenced. He now has a long time to think about his actions inside a prison cell.”

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Featured image: GMP

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