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Four-time disqualified driver arrested after dreadful escape attempt from Bolton police

A wanted driver in Bolton ended up accidentally steering right into a car dealership during a dreadful escape attempt from local police earlier this week.

The individual behind the wheel - who had already been disqualified from driving on four separate occasions - tried to make a sneaky getaway when he spotted officers in the area.

Swerving his Corsa down what he believed to be a shortcut, the driver soon realised to his chagrin that he had inadvertently pulled into a car dealership.

The Greater Manchester Police Safer Roads Targeting Team swooped in to apprehend the culprit - who had absolutely nowhere left to go.

Reciting the tale on Twitter, GMP Traffic officers stated: "The driver of this Corsa tried to evade our #GMPSRTT patrol in Bolton earlier but his navigational skills led him into rear of a car dealership.

"Found to be disqualified x 4 & wanted."

Officers also confirmed that the vehicle was seized - with prohibition issued for tinted windows and an insecure battery.

The driver was arrested and held in remand following the incident.

Police issue record number of COVID penalties as Manchester becomes most-infected region in country

Local police issued more COVID-breach fines in the past three days than on any other weekend since the pandemic began - just as Manchester is confirmed as the worst-infected region in the country.

As many as 85 Fixed Penalty Notices were distributed from Friday to Sunday - a new record - as officers attended multiple incidents across the borough.

Laws state that people found ignoring government-imposed rules - such as congregating in large groups - can be fined up to £200 for a first offence, lowered to £100 if paid within 14 days.

Fines for those refusing to self-isolate, organising gatherings, or ignoring COVID protocols in workplaces have also increased up to £10,000 in some instances.

And this was the busiest weekend yet for GMP - on the same dates that Manchester registered a higher infection rate than any other borough in England.

Cases have continued to surge despite local restrictions being in place across the region for more than two months.

According to the latest data from Public Health England, the seven-day rate in Manchester for the week ending October 1 was 495.6 cases per 100,000.

Police have repeatedly issued warnings to residents - emphasising they would not hesitate to fine anyone found to be flouting the rules.

Last month, GMP officers confirmed they had issued big fines to two people in Bolton who'd failed to quarantine, with another man charged for organising an illegal rave in Moston.

Young drug-driver illegally uses dad’s car for Bolton date and lies to police that he’s 60 years old

A 23-year-old who took his dad's car for a late night date on Bolton's countryside roads tried to tell police he was 60 after being caught under driving the influence with no insurance.

The youngster had borrowed his father's vehicle to pick up a date and head to Scout Road - which offers impressive views of surrounding villages especially at nighttime.

However, the setting wasn't quite as private and secluded as the driver might have hoped.

Police turned up - and then the date turned disastrous.

Officers determined that the driver had been using cannabis whilst behind the wheel of a car that he wasn't insured to use, but the youngster tried his luck anyway - telling police he was in fact 60 years old.

He was then arrested and the car was seized.

https://twitter.com/GMPBoltonNorth/status/1311497592270999556?s=20

The GMP Bolton North Twitter account posted the story online at 3:46am on October 1.

"If you’re planning a romantic night out on Scout Rd, it’s probably best if you’re not under the influence of Cannabis, be in your dads car that you have no insurance for and definitely don’t say you are 60 when you are actually 23.

"Arrested & (dads) car seized."

As far as dates go, that's probably up there with some of the worst imaginable.

The father will also have to pay around £100 recovery fee to get the car back, on top of £25 a day for storage.

"Owner can have it back the same day if they come & provide insurance / details etc." confirmed police.

Greater Manchester Police respond to ‘unlawful posters’ in University halls windows

Greater Manchester Police has this morning released a statement in relation to concerns on social media around "unlawful posters" in the Manchester area.

It is believed to be in response to displays seen in the windows of Manchester Metropolitan University's Birley and Cambridge halls of residence - where 1,700 students are currently self-isolating due to 99 students having tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) - and comes after the University stated it had been requested by the constabulary that "the posters must not break the law or they'll have to be removed".

The constabulary's Superintendent from the City of Manchester policing team - who also heads up Operation Student Safe - made the statement addressing this on social media this morning.

He confirmed that GMP is yet to receive any reports concerning the matter.

It comes after Manchester Metropolitan University and Student Living were believed to have contacted the students currently self-isolating in the Birley and Cambridge halls of residence asking them to remove a the signs in an email that read: "We are contacting you all today to ask for the signs which are on display on the windows in your flat need to removed.

"Please ensure these are removed asap."

https://twitter.com/Gabriel_Pogrund/status/1309907164560060416?s=20

Posters, signs and arrangements of post-it notes displayed in windows were visible from the streets, and photographs of which have been widely circulated throughout mainstream and social media over the weekend.

They were seen reading messages such as "HMP MMU", "9k 4 What?", "F*** Boris", and "Tories out" among others.

After the request to remove the displays went onto receive widespread criticism by the students themselves and members of the public, MMU then took to social media yesterday evening to issue a public apology.

They stated the that the message "didn't reflect the University's view".

The University said: "We apologise for the message sent to our students last night about posters in windows, it didn't reflect the University's view. We respect the rights of students to express themselves, but as requested by [Greater Manchester Police], the posters must not break the law or they'll have to be removed."

https://twitter.com/ManMetUni/status/1310189451935657984?s=20

This then prompted calls on social media by many questioning how posters or the arrangement of post it notes could be seen as "break[ing] the law".

It was also noted at the time that Greater Manchester Police were yet to make a public statement on the matter.

Now, an official statement response by Superindendent Richard Timson - in charge of Operation Student Safe - has been issued on social media this morning. It reads: "As far as we are aware, there have currently not been any reports made to GMP in regards to unlawful posters in the Manchester area.

"If this matter is reported to GMP, the content of posters would be reviewed with consideration made around whether any offences have been committed under the Public Order Act 1986."

https://twitter.com/gmpolice/status/1310503509310275585?s=20

Police officers will visit IKEA to encourage shoppers to wear face coverings

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) will be heading out to retail premises in Tameside as part of a campaign to encourage the wider use of face coverings.

Superintendent Jane Higham, of Greater Manchester Police's Tameside district, has called using face coverings a "public obligation" - and said she will be sending her PCSOs out to big stores such as IKEA in Ashton-under-Lyne to convince shoppers to wear masks.

Speaking at a meeting earlier this week, the Superintendent also said that letters are being sent to local retailers asking them to communicate with people entering stores without a mask.

The Superintended stated: "I think it’s a really tricky one this with the face coverings because it’s a guidance rather than actually a piece of legislation, that’s why we’re getting our officers to go in there to actively encourage that and shame people almost into compliance around that."

Supt Higham added: "I’ve seen it in local shops where I live that people are flouting the face masks.

"But I think it’s a public obligation and that’s what we’re going to try and get people to do it by being very present there and by stopping people and asking them those questions."

Supt Higham also refused to rule out "enforcement" in certain circumstances.

“Our officers will be there to engage and explain and where people are becoming extremely difficult – and there are occasions when that happens – we will go to an enforcement angle," she said.

Whilst the government has made mask usage mandatory in shops in England, several major stores have said they will not enforce the rule.

Wearing a face covering is also mandatory on public transport.

More information on the rules around face coverings is explained on the government website.

Police and fire service set to be drafted in to aid Test and Trace in Greater Manchester

Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) and members of the fire service are set to be drafted in aid with tracing contacts of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases as part of new plans announced by the Mayor of Greater Manchester.

Andy Burnham made the announcement during his weekly virtual press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester stated that only 54% of named contacts of people who had tested positive for coronavirus were being contacted by the NHS Test and Trace system in the area, with more than 3,600 people a week believed to not be being reached.

Speaking at the virtual press conference, Mr Burnham said: "Test, trace and isolate is not working well enough for Greater Manchester at the moment and we have only a small number of weeks to fix it before we go into the really tough time which lies ahead in the autumn and into the winter.''

Mr Burnham and council leaders are reportedly not requesting any changes to local lockdown restrictions across any of the ten boroughs at present, but are instead wanting to ramp up the region’s own efforts to tackle the disease.

The Mayor also confirmed he has written to the government and Health Secretary Matt Hancock to set out proposals for "escalating'' the response to the virus in the region.

Plans include a new command centre, which would be set up with the specific task of getting through to 80% of contacts.

https://twitter.com/MayorofGM/status/1306253322945531910?s=20

Mr Burnham added: "We have agreements from Greater Manchester Police and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service to mobilise a number of police community support officers (PCSOs) and fire safety staff to focus their efforts on contacting the contacts that are currently not being reached in Greater Manchester by the national system.''

He said that more than 100 PCSOs and 100 fire safety officers would staff the system, which he said would not be "sustainable over the long term'' but was "right to do''.

Mr Burnham said a "relentless focus'' on fixing the Test and Trace scheme could prevent further restrictions.

He continued: "It can't be the case going forward that we fail to fix test, trace and isolate and we then just do what feels the more easy thing, just throwing blanket restrictions at people,''

"I just don't think people will accept that.''

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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.

#HandsFaceSpace

Police chief tells XR protestors to ‘stop being floppy’ as it’s a ‘flipping nuisance’

A frustrated UK police chief has launched into a diatribe against "floppy" Extinction Rebellion (XR) protestors, labelling them a "flipping nuisance".

Sir Stephen House, the deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, has criticised the tactic employed by some XR campaigners - which involves going limp whenever they are approached by officers.

House called the tactic "a complete pain in the neck", complaining that it makes police look as though they are using excessive force.

The police chief has now called on the protestors to "stop going floppy".

“That might seem like a silly thing to say," admitted House.

"But when we arrest them and pick them up, they go all floppy, which is why you see four or five officers carrying them away.

"It’s a complete waste of officers’ time, and a complete pain in the neck.”

House added: “If they could just behave like sensible adults. It is a flipping nuisance."

"...I think the majority of the public would look at that and go: ‘For goodness sake, you’ve made your point. You’ve been arrested, the police are treating you perfectly fairly, just get on with it.’”

XR hosted a wide range of protests across the country throughout August Bank Holiday weekend - including several in Manchester.

Protestors occupied spaces in St Peter's Square and also descended on Piccadilly Station, forcing road closures and delays to local services.

In response to the campaigns, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council Nigel Murphy stated: "Of course, we recognise the urgency of climate change.

"Manchester has one of the most ambitious carbon targets in the UK - working to become zero carbon by 2038.

"So, we understand the importance of encouraging the debate - but this should not be at the expense of local people."

Police stop a two-tonne overweight van on the motorway and find it full of eggs

A van displaying suspicious behaviour was pulled over by police yesterday and was found to be two tonnes overweight and full of eggs.

The North West Motorway Police - a joint unit between Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside police forces - spotted the vehicle looking rather suspicious near the busy junction of Switch Island and decided to pull the van over.

This probably wasn't what they were eggspecting to find when they stopped the vehicle though.

Revealing details of the unusual stop in a post on social media yesterday afternoon, North West Motorway Police said: "A busy day for C block who have bid you all a good evening.

"RCVU keeping them busy with this driver who may have literally put all his eggs in one basket (so to speak). Stopped at Switch Island & found to be 2 tonnes overweight.

"Van prohibited until made safe & GFPN's issued."

As you can imagine in a circumstance like this, the post went down pretty well across all social platforms and amassed hundreds of interactions, shares and comments.

What is also to be expected is a good 90% of the responses being egg puns.

That's what we like to see.

Police warn public about the hot tub scam that has bubbled up during the pandemic

Greater Manchester Police have been posting warnings about a prevalent scam which has bubbled up during the coronavirus pandemic: Hot tub fraud.

Shortly after COVID-19 first hit the UK, fraudsters seized the opportunity to prey upon national panic by posing as funding agencies, charities or delivery companies.

But now these cyber crooks have apparently turned their attention towards luxury home products.

Police have revealed an increase in hot tub fraud since the start of the pandemic; whereby scammers will advertise a non-existent unit to potential buyers, warn them they cannot permit a viewing due to coronavirus restrictions, and then cut off all contact once payment is made.

Posting online via their official Twitter account, GMP stated: "Fraudsters are using online sites to advertise hot tubs for sale.

"They will request deposits for the hot tubs and tell the victim that [their] delivery date is to be confirmed.

"The fraudster will tell the victim the hot tub cannot be viewed because of lockdown restrictions.

"The fraudster will then cease contact with the victim meaning the deposit is lost."

Officers are warning buyers to be vigilant before making any big purchases online, and to spread the word about the unusual scam which is leaving many people out of pocket.

Staying safe online includes dealing only with reputable sellers, avoid paying by money transfers, checking the URL in the web browser (is it actually the same website as the design suggests?).

Police are also encouraging people to use their instinct; if sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

For more information on protecting your money online, visit ActionFraud.

Policing minister tells Brits to call police on neighbours who break ‘rule of six’ law

Policing Minister has encouraged residents to call the police on their neighbours if they see them breaking the new 'rule of six' law.

Kit Malthouse - Minister of State for Crime, Policing and the Fire Service - made a number of media appearances this morning to state that the non-emergency 101 police phone number can be used to report any social gatherings of more than six people.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, Mr Malthouse said: "We are in discussions about what reporting mechanisms there might be but there is obviously the non-emergency number that people can ring and report issues they wish to.

"Certainly during the initial stage of lockdown, we did see a surge in those reports coming through to the police.

"If people are concerned, if they do think there is contravention then that option is open to them."

Pressed on whether that would involve reporting a gathering of seven or more in a neighbour’s garden, Mr Malthouse continued: "It is open to neighbours to do exactly that through the non-emergency number and if they are concerned and they do see that kind of thing, then absolutely they should think about it.’

When asked to clarify whether residents should be concerned about local breaches of law in neighbouring properties and report them to the police, he replied simply: "Yes".

It comes as the new 'rule of six' is set to be enforceable by law and applies in any setting, whether that’s "indoors or outdoors, at home or in the pub."

Those who do not follow the rules could face a "criminal record".

National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) chairman Martin Hewitt however denied that enforcement of the 'rule of six' relies on people “grassing up” their neighbours.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said: "I think what it relies on is all of us being responsible,"

"We all have a responsibility to do what we can do, to take the steps that are required to stop the transmission and to abide by regulations so we can prevent this disease moving further through the country."

Kit Malthouse confirmed that guidance for police officers would be made available "in the next couple of days" from the College of Policing on how to apply the new regulations.