A man has been sentenced to 11 years behind bars for drug offences – but it’s his mugshot that’s really got people talking.
Callum Buckley, 33, was found guilty of storing 72g of cannabis, six vacuum sealed packages of amphetamine and 18g of cocaine with a 78% purity, inside a container in Manchester.
Officers also found during their investigation that he was the man behind the EncroChat handle ‘Peptalk’, which he used to arrange his supply chain of Class A and Class B drugs.
But since GMP shared his mugshot on social media, people have been quick to point out a certain feature – his teeth.
Buckley has a pair of blinding pearly whites, which he’s proudly showing off in his mugshot.
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Several people have compared them to those tooth-shaped jelly sweets or Wallace (of Wallace and Gromit fame), with one person asking if he’d ‘got high off his own supply’.
Dozens of people have also pointed out his uncanny likeness to YouTuber MrBeast, with someone writing: “Honestly thought Mr Beast let himself go then.”
Buckley was involved in organised crime that involved the supply of Class As to associates as far as Luton.
He would refer to himself as ‘Cal’ while sending and receiving photos of blocks of cocaine, which he was buying each week for £42,000.
He also discussed the sale of heroin and cannabis valued at £11,000 and £5,000 respectively.
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At one stage, he told an associate of a shipment of drugs into Ireland worth an approximate £200,000.
Officers found designer clothing, footwear and a gold Rolex Yacht Master watch, with a total value of £53,000 during a raid at his property.
He was arrested on Thursday 15 September 2022 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin and cannabis, possession with intent to supply cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis and money laundering.
He has now been sentenced to 11 years in prison at Manchester City Crown Court.
Detective Constable Chris Anders, of GMP’s City of Manchester Challenger North team, said: “Buckley was using the EncroChat device to converse with other criminals under the guise of the handle ‘Peptalk’ and alike other criminals before him, he believed that his criminality was protected by the encrypted device.
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“We could see from the messages that Buckley had criminal contacts from as far as Luton, Bedfordshire in order to supply significant amounts of heroin and cocaine that was on a national scale, and that he had a direct influence upon the supply of these drugs into Ireland.
“He sent messages that he was travelling once a week to buy blocks of cocaine worth £42,000, at a time when the country was in a national lockdown due to Coronavirus and families couldn’t see their loved ones.
“The disruption of the EncroChat device enabled us to see first-hand the scale of Buckley’s criminality, which he was reaping the rewards of. Today’s sentencing is a clear reminder to criminals that they cannot hide behind these devices forever and that they will be prosecuted and sent to prison for a substantial amount of time.”
If you are concerned about criminal activity within your area, you can report this to us directly on 101 or by reporting information using our online report tool at www.gmp.police.uk.
You can also report information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.
Manchester’s 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness returns with its biggest venue host yet for 2024
Danny Jones
November is well underway which means that not only have the likes of the annual Christmas Markets begun but Manchester is once again ramping up for the latest edition of The 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness.
Although the holiday season is a jolly one for many, we’re always reminded that for lots of those less fortunate, the colder months signal an even more difficult time for lots of people all over Greater Manchester, with the region still suffering with the third highest rate of homelessness in the UK.
That being said, each year volunteers from founding organisation, Run Wild MCR (the University of Manchester’s long-standing running society), team up with the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity to help put in the hard yards on their behalf and raise as much money as possible.
Marking the sixth year of the heartwarming and vital fundraising event, the 2024 edition of The 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness is hoping to be the most impactful yet, landing even more support from local clubs and businesses than ever, as well as their biggest host venue yet.
For anyone still unaware of the event, the annual 24-hour relay run sees thousands of runners turn up from all over the 10 boroughs to participate in 5km laps around the city centre to witness the effects of homelessness first-hand.
Those lacing up their trainers – be they from local clubs like Manchester Road Runners, charitable organisation, Northern business or just a Manc who fancies doing their bit for a good cause – can do as little or as few laps as they like, as well as contribute to the fundraising with donations on the night.
Now with national vehicle marketplace AutoTrader named as the principal sponsor for this year’s run and the Together Co. social charity pledging to match public donations up to £20,000, The Manchester 24 Hour Homeless Run is hoping to achieve its biggest goal to date.
There have already been some serious records broken in past iterations, with multiple runners even going for upwards of 100k in total distance covered and staying overnight in sleeping bags to get their laps done over the 24 hours.
Having made upwards of £30,000 since it started, amassing more than £25,000 during its fifth anniversary in 2023, and raising over £1,400 with its first spin-off event in Birmingham earlier this month, this is set to be a hugely impactful year for the team and Manchester’s ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme.
The growth of the event speaks for itself, with Mayor Andy Burnham now a regular attendee on behalf of his namesake charity, an increase in clubs, influencers and national coverage, not to mention the event landing Freight Island as the 2024 host venue.
You can see a quick run-through of the city centre route here:
Having sent a huge message to the previous government regarding comments about the homeless community and directly contributing to approximately 842 rough sleepers being given a bed in Manchester during last year’s run, they’ve done incredible work in just a few short years.
With the profile of the ever-important event bigger than ever, as it looks to continue expanding into different cities – especially following the success of its debut Brummy run – we’re expecting big things and even more wholesome vibes as the crowds gather at the now well-and-truly festive Freight Island.
Members of The Manc will also be taking part and putting in as many miles as we can, so come and say hello if you can or, even better, come join the countless other volunteers going for a jog from 12pm on Wednesday, 13 November until noon the next day.
More importantly, please give even a little bit to this crucial cause HERE if you can; the charity livestream will also be active on our Facebook page throughout the duration and QR codes for direct donations will be available at Freight Island on the night.
You can see a full list of the organisations taking part down below. This really is a time when Manchester shows its best face and we can all be very proud that we’re putting in the graft to combat a global crisis.
Viral bakery Half Dozen Other set to open new site this December
Thomas Melia
Famed for their incredible sweet treat pastries and fresh bread offerings, Half Dozen Other are preparing to open a brand new cafe and bakery in December.
Founded by ex-Rugby players Jon Wilkin and Mark Flanagan, who’ve both competed for the St. Helens team alongside a whole host of different clubs throughout their astonishing careers.
The pair also own Manchester coffee shop Pot Kettle Black, an establishment which has earned its stripes as a frontrunner in the city centre cafe scene.
Half Dozen Other opened a new bakery last summer, painting the Green Quarter landscape with a splash of coral pink thanks to their brightly coloured warehouse plot – and now they’re expanding again.
This bakery is opening their second site at Circle Square, the new Bruntwood Scitech development which is also home to Onda and Federal.
The esteemed bakery will also be accompanied by a whole host of foodie favourites like Detroit Slims and Hello Oriental who all currently reside in the same neighbourhood.
Some of the incredible bakes and creations by the team over at Half Dozen Other.The bright coral pink site that started it all for these Manchester-based bakers.The lovely food and drink options by Half Dozen Other to feed your appetite.Credit: The Manc Group
Not too long ago, Half Dozen Other collaborated with Indian restaurant Dishoom to launch their tasty ‘Chai custard tart’ creation.
The sweet treat specialists supply their delicious bites to many Manchester famous eateries including some of the city’s favourites like San Carlo and Tast Catala.
At the new site, they’ll be serving baked-fresh-daily ‘classic bakes, modern takes’.
November has been a very busy month for the Half Dozen Other team as they’re halfway through running their specials of the month including a Pistachio Croissant, PBJ Cookie and a vegan Tarte Tatin Croissant.
With so much going on including ever-changing new products and its brand new Oxford Road development, the bakery is teaming up with speciality coffee brand Ozone to offer £1 coffees every day in December.
Jon Wilkin said: “We’re obsessed with creating things that didn’t exist yesterday.
“Our bakers are already working their magic while Manchester’s bars are still thumping, committing to a mind-bending graft against the clock to ensure your morning toast is worth getting out of bed for.
“Some people count sheep to fall asleep, we count pastries to stay awake. It’s our obsession, an obsession that’s growing. Speaking of growth, we’re pretty chuffed to be opening a bakery shop in Circle Square on Oxford Road. Come at us!”
Charlotte Wild, Head of Retail & Leisure at Bruntwood SciTech commented: “We’re thrilled to be welcoming Half Dozen Other to the Circle Square community.
“This is a brand founded on passion, craft and innovation and one we know will thrive within our vibrant neighbourhood, which is fast becoming a city centre hot spot for hospitality innovators.
“As well as freshly baked artisan treats we are excited to be bringing a new artisan bakery to Circle Square and we can’t wait to see what the team create at their new home.
“Half Dozen Other will be joining the likes of Onda, Detroit Slims by Ramona, Firehouse & Diecast, Federal and North Taproom and will complement this exciting mix perfectly.”
Sweet tooth lovers and bread aficionados can count themselves lucky as by next month, they can add a stop at Half Dozen Other at Circle Square on Oxford Road to their morning commute serving pastries, bakes and coffees from 7am.
Daisy Jackson -
28th September 2023 
