Three police officers who chased and detained a man carrying a gun in Manchester have been nominated for a bravery award.
PC Jack Ginger, PC Jessica Hamblett, and PC Richard Hayes from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have been nominated for The National Police Bravery Awards after they put themselves at what was said to be “a significant risk to their own wellbeing” while chasing and eventually apprehending a gunman in Harpurhey back in March 2021.
The trio were in plain clothes on mobile patrol in a plain vehicle when PC Hamblett noticed a number of individuals “loitering together”.
According to GMP, due to the suspicious behaviour of this group, PC Hayes turned the vehicle around, and as they did so, the officers heard a loud bang – which they believed to be a firearm discharging – and a few seconds later, they saw a man running down the street carrying a black bin liner and seemingly trying to conceal its contents.
Due to the way he was acting and the loud bang, the trio then identified themselves as police officers and the man ran off towards a black Ford Focus – which was parked up with two other men inside.
PCs Ginger, Hamblett, and Hayes immediately chased the man, and he tried to get into the Ford Focus, but it eventually made off and left the man with the gun behind.
PC Jack Ginger, PC Jessica Hamblett, and PC Richard Hayes have been nominated for The National Police Bravery Award / Credit: Greater Manchester Police
The man then ran off and was pursued on foot by PC Ginger, followed by PC Hayes, and supported by PC Hamblett in the police vehicle, and after a pursuit through a number of back streets, PC Ginger managed to detain the man with the assistance of his colleagues, while PC Hayes conducted a search along the route of the pursuit to find the black bin bag discarded near where the offender had tried to get into the car.
The bin bag did in fact contain a converted blank-firing Retay handgun, with the cartridge still in the chamber – which is a prohibited firearm.
“What a tremendous trio of colleagues,” said Greater Manchester Police Federation Chair Lee Broadbent.
“The actions of Jack, Jessica and Richard in pursuing a male who was armed with a firearm, which they believed had just been discharged, was exceptionally brave.
“The officers acted fast to detain this man and prevent any harm to members of the public, at significant risk to their own wellbeing [and] not only was the suspect apprehended, but their excellent commentary during the pursuit directed other officers to support, and the subsequent scene management ensured the recovery of the weapon and other important evidence.
“The actions of these officers has brought a very high-risk individual into custody, which will have had a significant impact on protecting and reassuring the local community.”
The offender was charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and as his fingerprints were found on the bag which the gun was found inside of, he was remanded into custody.
The offender was jailed for five years in July 2021.
Featured Image – Greater Manchester Police
News
Def Leppard announce HUGE arena gig in Manchester next year
Thomas Melia
English Glam Rock band Def Leppard have announced a brand new UK tour which features a stop in one of Manchester’s big arenas next year.
Known for hits like ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’, ‘Animal’, ‘Love Bites’ and more, Def Leppard are back on the road and they’re heading out on a UK tour.
The band has achieved worldwide acclaim since entering the rock scene with their first-ever single, ‘Wasted’, back in 1979, and their success resulted in getting inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
In 2023, Def Leppard teamed up with fellow metalheads Motley Crüe for the ultimate ‘Rock of Ages’, playing a spell-bounding gig at Wembley Stadium in front of 90,000 people.
The rock legends are continuing their career-highlight streak as now they’re about to play one of Manchester’s largest arenas, Co-op Live, sending 23,500 fans into ‘Hysteria’.
This upcoming Def Leppard UK tour sees the band making their way to Glasgow, Sheffield, London and Birmingham before visiting the music capital of the North.
The love for these rockers isn’t slowing down either, as their latest album ‘Drastic Symphonies’, a collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, scored Def Leppard their highest charting record in 32 years, debuting at number 4.
Fans will be over the moon to know that the five-piece visiting Co-op Live next year includes the same band lineup since 1992, with Joe Elliot, Rick Allen, Phil Collen, Rick Savage and Vivian Campbell playing out on the night.
The Rock Brigade will always make sure to remember Steve Clark, founding member and adorned- ‘Riffmaster’, and although the guitarist won’t be playing this innovative live music venue, fans will still give it their all for the current ‘Gods of War’.
These Sheffield-formed musicians have sold more than 110 million albums worldwide, so there will be no ‘Foolin’ around when it comes to screaming their lyrics at the top of your lungs next summer.
Def Leppard are coming to Co-op Live in Manchester on Monday 5 July, with tickets going on sale from 10am on Friday 5 September
Bolton man jailed for life after killing ‘vulnerable’ woman and hiding her body in his shed
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed for life after murdering a vulnerable woman and then proceeding to hide her body in a shed at his house in Bolton.
Christopher Barlow killed Mariann Borocz back in December 2024 after randomly meeting her at a shop and inviting her to his house, before killing her and then going on to dump her body in a locked shed in his garden.
55-year-old Mariann, who was originally from Hungary, was reported missing on Sunday 15 December having been last seen alive in the early hours of the previous day.
During the police search and investigation, CCTV showed Barlow following Mariann into a shop near his house and then back out again, and after Barlow was arrested on suspicion of assault on 23 December, officers found the keys to his shed – which is when they, sadly, discovered Mariann’s body.
Barlow was charged with murder, but the 63-year-old first denied this charge, and also denied any contact with Mariann.
The case was then handed over to Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Major Incident Team, led by Detective Chief Inspector Tony Platten.
#JAILED | This is the moment Christopher Barlow was arrested for the murder of Mariann Borocz.
We made extensive efforts to locate Mariann, and our thoughts continue to be with her family.
A three-week trial then began at Manchester Crown Court, and when forensic evidence linked Barlow to Mariann’s body, he then when on to admit during the trial that he had invited her into his house, and found her not breathing in his kitchen about 40 minutes later.
Despite maintaining he did dot murder her, the jury returned its guilty verdict after less than a day of deliberation.
Last week, Barlow was sentenced to life in prison and must serve a minimum term of 20 years behind bars.
Detective Sergeant Fiona Manning described this as a ‘harrowing’ investigation and subsequent trial for Mariann’s family.
“Barlow befriended Mariann and she believed she could trust him,” DS Manning said, “That could not have been further from reality.”
DS Manning then assured that GMP remains ‘steadfast’ in its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of women in Greater Manchester‘s communities, and will continue to work ‘tirelessly’ to uphold justice.
She concluded: “Women should be able to go out freely and without fear that something may happen to them.”
Emily Sergeant -
7th June 2022 
