There was plenty of local political drama in three Greater Manchester boroughs last night — with more election action set to hit the region today.
19.04.2023 - 10:17 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Greater Manchester's police chief has revealed the force is actively pursuing child sexual exploitation suspects currently in Pakistan to face possible criminal charges here. Chief Constable Stephen Watson confirmed GMP was 'seeking to bring suspects in from Pakistan' but refused to elaborate further due to what he called 'judicial processes'.
He didn't reveal how many suspects were involved or a timeframe, but confirmed in a radio interview on Wednesday that it was 'more than one' and hinted at 'announcements that will shortly come'.
Chief Constable Watson, speaking on LBC talk radio, said crime that happened in the past doesn't 'stay in the past because it happened a long time ago', warning: "The reality is, we will hunt down people who commit these offences. We will hunt people down."
READ MORE: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community
In Heywood and Rochdale, a nine-strong gang of Asian men were convicted of sex offences against girls in 2012.
For two years from early 2008, girls as young as 12 were plied with alcohol and drugs and gang-raped in rooms above takeaway shops and ferried to different flats in taxis, where cash was paid to abuse them. Police said as many as 47 girls were groomed.
A review published last year into allegations of historic child sexual exploitation found children in Oldham were being exploited and let down by services which tried and failed to protect them.
Operation Green Jacket was also launched by the force in the wake of the discredited Operation Augusta probe into child sexual exploitation in south Manchester between 2002 and 2005, with the force revealing in 2020 more than 600 possible offenders had been identified.
Chief Constable Watson was asked a question
There was plenty of local political drama in three Greater Manchester boroughs last night — with more election action set to hit the region today.
One of Greater Manchester's 10 boroughs has been listed among the top 10 places to raise a family in the UK.
A man from Greater Manchester has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to kidnap after police received reports of a group of men carrying a man into a car which was driven away.
The boss of a bus company which suddenly stopped running services has confirmed the firm has gone into administration. Wesley Goodwin, owner of Little Gem Buses, blamed soaring costs and the rise in working from home for the firm's demise.
A director of an NHS trust in Greater Manchester has stepped down 'with immediate effect' over comments he made on social media. Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust said it condemned Maqsood Ahmad's since deleted remarks on Twitter 'in the strongest possible terms'.
You may think it would be impossible to find a cheap home whilst house prices are still sky-high, but luckily there are some bargains up for grabs across Greater Manchester.
A warning is being issued as just over 15 per cent of Greater Manchester children are unprotected against one of the world's most contagious diseases - as the region is hit with confirmed cases.
More information has been revealed about when people will be able to see a Lancaster bomber flying over Greater Manchester in May.
A former Greater Manchester Police constable has been found guilty of five sexual assaults on young men and women.
Worrying new data has revealed the extent of climate change in Greater Manchester over the years, as experts warned urgent action is required to tackle the crisis.
A life-saving firefighter cancer monitoring programme is being launched today across Greater Manchester as part of a new UK-wide research project commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union.
A drunk one-punch killer who attacked a man after seeing him speak to his girlfriend is amongst those who was jailed this week. Jonathan Adamson ‘launched’ himself at David Aubert in Manchester city centre’s Gay Village, knocking him unconscious with a ‘heavy flying punch’.
In the early hours of Sunday morning a small town on the outskirts of Bolton was rocked by an hour of shocking violence. In the space of just 60 minutes several homes and cars were set ablaze in the Farnworth, Great Lever and Daubhill areas in a series of arson attacks.
An eye-catching property that you wouldn't expect to find near Greater Manchester is now on the market - and it is worth a whopping £2,495,000. The brand new five-bed residence resembles a home you would typically see in Hollywood, and it's got all the luxury features to go with it too.
Eid is right around the corner and will see Muslims all across Greater Manchester celebrate with friends and families.
If you're looking for an escape to the countryside there are several areas on the outskirts of Greater Manchester with properties that boast idyllic surroundings.
It's been almost 13 years since Britain's largest manhunt took place in Northumbria, in a bid to detain gunman Raoul Moat.
Picture the scene: it’s a balmy summer’s evening, you’re sipping on a cocktail and the sun is setting over the sea. This is exactly the kind of holiday experience you’d expect in Spain or Greece, but this summer you can enjoy just that much closer to home.
On a wet and misty morning, the rolling hills of Saddleworth Moor are just about visible from the stone cobbled streets of Uppermill.
Two more police officers have been disciplined following an investigation into a 'racist' police WhatsApp group, it has emerged.