A local man has been jailed after making “shocking and disturbing” threats towards an MP and NHS workers.
Ryan Breheny, from the Greater Manchester town of Wigan, appeared at Bolton Crown Court this week (Tuesday 17 September) after he called 999 back in June of this year and threatened to kill hospital workers, according to Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
On top of these serious threats to kill, he also claimed to the 999 call operator that he had been offered an AK47.
Not long after this, GMP then revealed that the 48-year-old sent emails to an MP’s office with messages that contained more threats to kill.
Police officers attended his property following the call made to 999 and emails sent to the local MP, and when they knocked on his door, Breheny arrived with a crossbow and subsequently began to arm it, before being arrested shortly after.
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Further weapons including air rifles, crossbow bolts, and a machete, were also discovered during a search of his house.
Recounting the order of events, a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesperson said in a statement that Breheny used the word “execute” multiple times in his call to 999, and referred to the specific weapons he was planning on using, as well as referring to chemicals he could get hold of and how “easy” it was to make a bomb.
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“Less than an hour later, he sent two threatening email messages to an MP’s constituency office,” the CPS spokesperson added.
“The messages contained threats to kill the MP.”
Abbie Clarke, for the CPS said: “Breheny’s threats have caused fear and distress to the staff at the MP’s office. “Members of Parliament and the emergency services play vital roles in our communities and criminality cannot be allowed to impede or affect that.
Breheny plead guilty to the aforementioned offences during a subsequent court appearance, and following this, was jailed for three years and three months for threats to kill at Bolton Crown Court this week.
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“Breheny’s threats were shocking and disturbing, causing distress to those involved,” commented Detective Constable Cupitt, from GMP’s Wigan CID.
“We will not hesitate to act where people make these sort of threats and will seek to secure the appropriate charges.
“We work closely with elected officials to ensure they can carry out their work without the fear of individuals who would cause them harm, and will always do our best to protect them and our communities.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Family pay tribute to father-of-two killed in Rochdale plane crash
Daisy Jackson
The family of a man killed in a light aircraft crash in Rochdale have paid tribute to a ‘deeply loving father and devoted husband’.
36-year-old Arian Abbasi was one of two men killed when an aircraft crashed into farmland in Littleborough in Rochdale last week, after travelling from Birmingham.
Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 11am on Tuesday 3 February, but sadly pronounced both men dead at the scene.
It’s believed there was no one else on board the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries on the ground.
Now, Arian’s family have issued a moving tribute to him. He was a pilot from Harrow in Greater London.
They described him as being a ‘deeply loving’ family man, whose passion was flying.
He was about to embark on a new chapter with a commercial airline in just a few weeks’ time.
His family said: “He lived his life for his family and friends, giving them his constant love, strength, and support.
“Flying was his passion, and he was on the brink of beginning an exciting new chapter with a commercial airline on 23 February; a dream he had worked toward with immense pride and determination.”
GMP investigations are now focused on finding part of the parachute system which contains propellant and hasn’t yet been located.
Finding the device has been ‘very difficult’ due to the nature of the terrain and the wide area over which it may have travelled.
It measures approximately 10 cm in diameter and 30 cm long and has a red anodised finish. It weighs less than 2 kg. It may have a silver metal collar attached at one end.
GMP said: “Please do not handle the device if you see it. If discovered, contact the police immediately via 101 or our Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1056 of 03/02/26.”
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free bus travel to and from school
Emily Sergeant
Children who are currently living in temporary housing in Greater Manchester are set to get extra support with school travel.
In a move that was announced by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) at the end of last week, and following years of campaigning, homeless children living in temporary accommodation are now set to get free school travel on all Bee Network buses.
TfGM says it understands that some children end up a long way from their school when placed into temporary accommodation, and this leaves parents or carers with the difficult choice of either having to move them to a closer school, which ultimately disrupts their education, or having to pay unexpected travel costs.
While the Greater Manchester Strategy – which is the plan for the city region’s next decade – commits to reducing the number of families and children in temporary accommodation, and measures are also being taken to make sure residents have the support they need to ‘access, improve, and retain’ a decent, affordable home, this doesn’t tackle the immediate issue.
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free school bus travel / Credit: TfGM
So, to help those families when they ‘need it most’, free bus travel to and from school is set to be provided, as subject to approval of this year’s Combined Authority budget.
The move comes after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham asked TfGM last year to look at options to help with the cost of travel.
“Using our locally-controlled Bee Network buses to support families when they need it most is the right thing to do,” Andy Burnham commented.
Of course, the long-term solution is no kids in TA and we’re working with our councils to achieve this in the next few years.
We can do it because GM will soon hit the point where we are building more council and social homes every year than we’re losing through right-to-buy. 👍🏻
“A move into temporary accommodation is often a massive upheaval for families and can be a worrying time. With this measure, the cost of travel to school will be one less thing for families to worry about.
“It will mean parents and carers don’t have to choose between an extra demand on their household budget and keeping their children with friends and teachers they know and trust.”
Emily Sergeant -
19th September 2024 
