Lancashire Police have turned a convicted criminal into a meme as they playfully trolled an organised crime gang.
The police chose an unconventional communications method for informing the public that 14 men had been jailed for nearly 50 years for their involvement in activities including drug importation and burglary.
Rather than the usual stuffy police report, they decided to roast 21-year-old Samuel Walmsley by turning him in to a meme.
They shared a photo from his phone that was seized as evidence, showing him grinning with a wad of cash – alongside his mugshot.
Lancashire Police wrote: “How it started… how it’s going.”
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The Twitter thread, which has seen literally thousands of people applauding the force’s social media strategy, has now reached almost 12 million people.
One person shared it writing: “LOOOL imagine you’ve been arrested and the official police account are mocking you.”
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Someone else wrote: “Oh nah this enough for me to not do crimes i don’t wanna get clowned on by the police force on twitter.”
Another person said: “Imagine getting out of prison after 10 years and seeing the police clowning you on twitter.”
They blasted him and the other gang members for ‘capturing their criminal activities on film and brazenly mocking hard-working members of society’.
Other clips filmed by the criminals included them showing off stolen bank cards, changing the numberplate on a stolen van, selfies taken with huge amounts of money, and videos of two stolen Range Rovers, sharing footage on Snapchat.
The burglary and vehicle theft conspiracy involved defendants Kevin Docherty, Samuel Walmsley, Noah Mulligan and Jordan Whittam.
Officers first began their investigation on 7 October when they stopped an Audi, which later crashed, and arrested Mulligan and Walmsley.
Stills from videos filmed by the criminal gang, which incriminated them. Credit: Lancashire PoliceStills from videos filmed by the criminal gang, which incriminated them. Credit: Lancashire PoliceMugshots of some of the men who were arrested by Lancashire Police for crime conspiracies. Credit: Lancashire Police
A warrant was executed at Whittam’s house, with £1,200 of cannabis recovered, and his telephone was seized. Messages and videos on his phone implicated himself and his co-defendants in burglaries.
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Walmsley’s own phone revealed him to be involved in the supply of cocaine and cannabis.
Mulligan’s phone contained a video of the defendants trying to smash a ruby jewel out of a ring stolen from a burglary.
The defendants were sentenced to the following:
Wasim Shah, 28/07/1987, of Arncliffe Avenue, Accrington, charged with being concerned in the supply of cannabis, possession with intent to supply cannabis. Jailed for four years.
Hassan Mahmood, 11/10/2002, of St Edmund Street, Great Harwood, charged with conspiracy to supply cannabis. Jailed for nine months.
Yaser Kabel, 23/03/1988, of St Edmund Street, Great Harwood, charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis. Jailed for four years and 10 months.
Nasar Kabel, 10/09/1982, of St Cecilia Street, Great Harwood, charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis. Jailed for five years and 10 months.
Babber Maqsood, 28/05/1987, of St Edmund Street, Great Harwood, charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis. Jailed for five years.
Mathew Walduck, 08/06/1987, of NFA, charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis, and possession with intent to supply cocaine. To be sentenced at a later date.
Callum Bradley, 26/01/2001, of Glebe Street, Great Harwood, charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine. Jailed for two years and three months.
Idnan Yakub, 25/02/1986, of Fernlea Drive, Clayton-le-Moors, charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine. Jailed for three years and nine months.
Ben Pilkington, 12/10/1984, of Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, charged with conspiracy to supply cannabis resin, producing cannabis and conspiracy to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a Class B drug. Jailed for two years and eight months.
Andrew Taylor, 13/11/1986, of Higher Gate Road, Accrington, charged with conspiracy to supply cannabis resin, possessing criminal property and conspiracy to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a Class B drug. Jailed for two years and eight months.
David Grundy, 23/05/1998, of Blackburn Road, Great Harwood, charged with conspiracy to supply cannabis resin and conspiracy to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a Class B drug. Sentenced to 13 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.
Carl Taylor, 20/01/1983, of Earl Street, Great Harwood, charged with conspiracy to supply cannabis resin and conspiracy to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a Class B drug. Jailed for two years and eight months.
Kevin Docherty, 27/09/1995, of Beaconsfield Street, Great Harwood, charged with conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle. Jailed for two and a half years.
Samuel Walmsley, 07/11/2002, of Cliffe Lane, Great Harwood, charged with conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle. Jailed for two years and four months.
Noah Mulligan, 13/09/2001, of Petre Crescent, Rishton, is charged with being concerned in the supply of cannabis, conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle. Jailed for two years and a half years.
Jordan Whittam, 26/06/2003, of Cross Street, Great Harwood, charged with being concerned in the supply of cannabis, possession with intent to supply cannabis, conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle. Jailed for two years and seven months.
DS Stu Peall, of the East Exploitation Team, said: “These defendants caused a great deal of misery in Great Harwood and surrounding areas, exploiting some of the most vulnerable members of society for pure greed. Some even thought it appropriate to capture their criminal activities on film and brazenly mock hard-working members of society.
“This significant policing operation has led to separate OCGs operating in the same town being dismantled and its members put before the courts. I hope the outcome of this case sends a strong message that Lancashire Police will not tolerate criminal activity of any kind and put those who wish to engage in it before the courts.”
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The operation was part of Operations Warrior and Defender, Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden’s Fighting Crime Plan priority of disrupting and dismantling organised crime and robustly and pro-actively tackling burglary.
Mr Snowden said: “This is a fantastic result and credit to the hard work and dedication of the Constabulary’s officers.
“Disrupting and dismantling organised crime and cracking down on burglary and robbery are key priorities in my Fighting Crime Plan for Lancashire and the Constabulary continues to deliver against those through targeted operations like Op Warrior and Op Defender, taking the fight to criminals and making sure they have their day in court.
“Organised crime gangs are a blight on society as they bring fear, violence, drugs and exploitation into Lancashire and I would encourage anyone who has any information to come forward and report it to the police or anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers.”
Pep Guardiola signs new contract to stay at Manchester City until 2027
Danny Jones
Blues will be delighted to hear that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is staying after agreeing to sign a contract extension that will keep him at the club until at least 2027.
The Catalan coach and supremely talented tactician has won all there is to win with Man City and after completing not only a record-matching treble but making history by becoming the first English team to win four Premier League titles in a row, you could argue his Etihad project is well and truly completed.
Guardiola, who joined City back in 2016, has gradually been creeping towards the end of his most recent contract, leaving those slowly searching for his replacement and the fan base wondering what the future holds for their next chapter.
But it turns out they don’t have to worry about life after Pep for a little while longer, as the 53-year-old has now extended his stay for another two seasons. The blue moon that has loomed over Manchester for the best part of a decade isn’t going anywhere just yet.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager, who is comfortably one of the most decorated and celebrated coaches in football history, was due to leave the club at the end of the current campaign.
However, although his contract would have seen him depart by June of next summer, this new deal will now see him stay in post until the end of the 2026/27 campaign, which will see him surpass the 10-year mark and then some.
It’s the news all Blues have been waiting for and an announcement that will no doubt come as a huge relief given the immense success he has brought to East Manchester.
Despite waiting until now to seemingly decide his future, the man himself has actually been pretty clear on the matter, insisting that he “fell in love” with the club from the moment he got here and saying as far back as 2020 that “unless they [CFG] sack me, I will stay here.”
Speaking in an official statement, Guardiola said: “Manchester City means so much to me. This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club. That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.”
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and of course the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.”
Man City fans will honour Pep with a banner which reads in Catalan, 'we want you to stay'…
"They'll have to bring me the bill. I will pay the bank. I don't want them to spend money for that reason. I feel in love since the first day I came here." 🥺
Better still, while the details of the agreement are yet to be fully detailed, it is thought that the new contract still includes an option to extend for an extra year, meaning we could be looking at Pep in Premier League dugouts even longer.
Should City go on to close the gap on current league leaders Liverpool, it would mean Guardiola would have overseen five title wins with the same team in a row: a feat only matched by very few in European football, most notably Juventus and Bayern Munich, the latter having managed 13 consecutive years.
Who knows if/when Guardiola will actually leave the Etihad Stadium for a new challenge, all we know is he changed modern football forever and has given Manchester – a city already spoilt in this respect – some of the most impressive football it’s ever seen.
All we do know is that the beautiful game’s passionate, bald, tiki-taka extraordinaire known simply as Pep is staying in 0161 for the time being and there are countless fans who are absolutely buzzing about it.
Tributes pour in for chairman of Manchester City’s ‘Cheadle Blues’ supporters club, Tommy Muir
Danny Jones
Tributes are pouring in following the death of Tommy Muir, the long-standing chairman of Manchester City’s ‘Cheadle Blues’ supporters club, at the age of 71.
News of Muir’s death broke on Thursday, 21 November, with countless Man City fans learning of his tragic passing online and proceeding to pay their respects.
The Cheadle Branch boss, lifelong supporter and well-known club figure is said to have died following a period of illness, with a member of the popular Bluemoon Forum claiming he suffered from the progressive disease pulmonary fibrosis for some time.
Numerous messages of sadness, love and support have been shared on social media already.
Sad to hear the news that Tommy Muir has died. A wonderful person who first helped me with my research decades ago. A dedicated MCFC fan. My thoughts are with his family and friends. https://t.co/8rLcL10N2Ipic.twitter.com/dkEmCSU1vl
Just heard a top blue Tommy Muir has passed away. Met Tommy years ago, he helped me out with tickets down the years, we shared a few laughs and pints. He gave me this plaque after he rescued it from Maine Road and is something I'll always treasure. RIP Tommy #trueblue 💙⚽ pic.twitter.com/jfbFLfZCKS
By all accounts, Muir will be remembered as a much-loved leader of City’s Cheadle Branch, as well as a generous character with a great sense of humour.
There are countless messages from people who know him from the local area or through helping sort spare tickets for matchdays and as the familiar face around Maine Road back in the day and on the bus to the Etihad Stadium for many years.
Tommy was also one of the official supporters group members who were treated to a visit by Man City themselves, naming him honorary Life Vice President of the Official Supporters Club and bringing the Treble trophies to his doorstep back in July 2023.
Muir, an ex-Royal Mail worker, also served as the landlord of The Kenilworth pub back in Cheadle, Stockport, where fans would regularly meet pre-match before heading to watch the game.
Local author and historian of Manchester sport, Gary James, wrote on Facebook: “I’ve just seen this news… Sad to hear the news that Tommy Muir has died. A wonderful person who first helped me with my research decades ago. A dedicated MCFC fan. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Speaking to The Manc, General Secretary of City’s Official Supporters Club, Kevin Parker told us: Tommy was a blue through and through and 100% committed to The Supporters Club at Cheadle and its members.
“I have known Tommy for over 30 years and no one deserved the recent success the club has had more than him. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him and fondly remembered. He will still be watching our wonderful club from the Blue Stands in the Sky telling anyone who disrespects his Club to ‘do one'”
Known to so many throughout the fan base, even supporters who never met him personally have been sharing their condolences on various platforms. Those who knew him well have nothing but heartwarming memories to share.
Fan forums like Bluemoon have been awash with people mourning Muir’s passing. One person told the story of meeting him at the age of 17 and following him when moved to The George and Dragon pub – another popular City haunt before games.
Another wrote: “I got to know Tommy when I joined the Cheadle Supporters branch. Tommy loved being branch secretary. He was absolutely dedicated to his position as branch secretary […] The branch meetings were serious affairs, getting through what had to be discussed, but in between was humour and laughter brought about by Tommy.
“Tommy had a huge sense of humour, and his one-liners were famous amongst the branch members, which would have everyone laughing throughout the meetings. The coach trips to the away games were never dull. They were always full of cheer, drinking, laughter, and City songs.”
“Keep on watching your beloved City from above. Rest in peace, Tommy.”
Losses like this within a fan base are always tough to take. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, the Cheadle Branch and all the Blues whose lives he touched. RIP Tommy Muir.
Daisy Jackson -
9th August 2023 
