Lancashire Police have made two further arrests in connection with the murder of Aya Hachem from Blackburn.
Aya Hachem, 19, was killed in a shooting near her home in Blackburn on 17th May.
Lancashire Police have today confirmed that a 30-year-old from Manchester was detained by Spanish police after a European Arrest Warrant was executed in Fuengirola on Saturday 4th July, and a 33-year-old Manchester man has been arrested today on suspicion of assisting an offender in connection with the murder.
In an official statement released today, Lancashire Police said: “Police in Spain have made an arrest in relation to the murder of Aya Hachem, 19, from Blackburn.”
“The 30-year-old from Manchester was detained after a European Arrest Warrant was executed in Fuengirola on Saturday (July 4th).”
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“He is being held on suspicion of Aya’s murder and the attempted murder of the man officers believe was the target of the shooting which killed her on Sunday, May 17th. He is currently subject to the extradition process so he can be brought back to Lancashire and be charged with the offences.”
“In addition, today (Tuesday, July 7th), a 33-year-old Manchester man has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, with warrants being executed at addresses on Grassmere Road and Moss Lane in Partington, Manchester. Searches are on-going at those properties.”
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“The total arrested in connection with Aya’s death now stands at 21.”
“Of these:
Seven people have been charged with her murder and the attempted murder of the intended target of the shooting
Two people have been released on bail pending further enquiries
Eight people have been released under investigation
Two people in custody (one of those is in Spain)
Two people have been released without charge.”
Lancashire Police would like to continue to remind people that information or video footage in relation to this inquiry can still be sent via the Major Incident Public Portal here.
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Anybody with any other information can contact Lancashire Police on 101, quoting log number 0412 of May 18th, or anonymously via independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
This is a breaking news story – More to follow.
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Manchester man jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of woman on train
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of a woman on board a train to Manchester.
Following an extensive British Transport Police (BTP) investigation, Nisan Fernando Kurukulasuriya, of Troutbeck Road in Altrincham, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court last month.
At the trail last month, the court heard how, on Monday 20 April 2026, 39-year-old Kurukulasuriya was on a train from Stoke to Manchester and sat next to a woman he didn’t know, who was on the phone.
He then sexually assaulted her repeatedly, doing so again even after being pushed away by the woman.
The woman then noticed that Kurukulasuriya had exposed himself and was masturbating in front of her. She shouted at him, and in response, he stood up and ran away to leave the train – but the woman immediately got up to report the incident to staff.
When the train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly, the woman alerted a member of staff while Kurukulasuriya was stood only a few meters away, and BTP were subsequently called straight away.
Police quickly attended and arrested Kurukulasuriya.
When police interviewed him, Kurukulasuriya showed no remorse for his actions and refused to answer any questions put to him.
After pleading guilty to Sexual Assault and Outraging Public Decency at a previous court hearing, Kurukulasuriya was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, and was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which will bar him from sitting next to any woman he doesn’t know on public transport, as well as being put on thensex offenders register for 10 years.
BTP Detective Sergeant, Mark Haviland, called Kurukulasuriya a ‘despicable man’ who targeted a woman travelling alone ‘for his own sick sexual gratification’.
Featured Image – BTP
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GMP officer sentenced after hitting pedestrian during police chase in Rochdale
Emily Sergeant
A police officer has been sentenced this week after he struck and ‘seriously injured’ a pedestrian following a pursuit of a suspected drink driver in Rochdale.
35-year-old Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer PC Sam Lockley pleaded guilty back in January 2026 following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation.
The IOPC investigation established that, in the early hours of the morning on 19 November 2023, PC Lockley was driving a marked police vehicle with the lights and sirens activated, and attempted to stop a suspected drunk driver on Drake Street in Rochdale.
A short pursuit that commenced but stopped merely a minute later after the police vehicle collided with a pedestrian on the footpath of Rochdale Road at approximately 3:30am.
The evidence gathered indicated that PC Lockley failed to slow down as he approached and drove through the red traffic lights at the Kingsway junction, and was travelling at a speed of 96mph in a 30mph zone.
The pedestrian suffered ‘serious injuries’ as a result of the collision, and received extensive medical treatment following.
At a hearing back in February of this year, PC Lockley received a two-year suspended sentence and was ordered to carry out 15 days community service, while also receiving two-year driving disqualification.
Also following the investigation, the IOPC decided that Lockley should face a gross misconduct hearing to face allegations that his manner of driving breached the police standards of professional behaviour.
“We continue to liaise with the force about disciplinary proceedings,” the IOPC concluded.
IOPC Director Amanda Rowe added: “My sympathies remain with the man, who sustained serious injuries, and all those affected by the incident.
“This was a complex investigation which relied on extensive amounts of data and expert analysis and the evidence showed PC Lockley drove at excessive speeds at night-time and although he was responding to a report of a suspected drink driver, it does not excuse his manner of driving.
“PC Lockley admitted he drove in a dangerous manner when he didn’t address hazards or warnings during the pursuit and ultimately by the time he saw the pedestrian, he was travelling too fast to avoid a collision.
“His actions that day have had long-lasting consequences and he has now been held accountable.”
The Manc -
7th July 2020 
