The criminals locked up in Greater Manchester this week (2025)

Prison terms are handed out to the worst offenders each week

A football fan who hopped onto a police car during the wild celebrations for Manchester City's treble win is among those to be locked up this week in Greater Manchester.

Leon Blackett was one of many who climbed onto a GMP specialist search unit pick-up truck in Piccadilly Gardens, causing around £10,000-worth of damage which meant it later had to be written off. He was jailed for 44 months.

Also locked up this week was a drugs gang whose organisation was rumbled after a message about a lad's holiday; and a gun runner who fled the country.

Prison terms are handed out to the worst offenders. And Manchester Evening News reporters are on hand to cover the most serious cases.

Wasim Ali, Zahid Bashir, Mohammed Bilal and Imran Aslam

A 'sophisticated' drugs ring and money laundering operation has been smashed by police - all thanks to a damaged car and a text about a lads' holiday. Four men have now been jailed for a combined total of more than 25 years.

The car, a Volkswagen Golf, was spotted by a Greater Manchester Police officer on patrol being driven with a smashed window and damaged panelling on Pilkington Way in Radcliffe, near Bury, in August 2022.

The driver - Zahid Bashir - sped off and jumped a red light. After a brief pursuit, Bashir stopped the Golf and ran away, but was quickly caught and arrested. Bundles of cash totalling more than £23,000 were found in the glove box, alongside two mobile phones.

The discovery, however, led to a huge investigation spanning more than two years by GMP's Economic Crime Unit. More phones, one hidden, were found at Bashir's home, together with cannabis and a metal BB gun. Analysis of mobile phone data and messages revealed codenames of others - including 'SLUG' and 'W'.

The man behind the codename 'SLUG', said police, was suspected of instructing Bashir and being involved in 'organising the sale and transportation of drugs'.

Wasim Ali, 36, of Derwent Drive, Bury, was jailed for 14 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs. Zahid Bashir, 45, of Canon Street, Bury, was sentenced to four years and six months after he pleaded guilty to money laundering and being concerning in the supply class B drugs.

Mohammed Bilal, 31, of Sanderson Street, Bury, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class B drugs and money laundering. He was jailed for three years. Imran Aslam, 44, of Derwent Drive, Bury, was found guilty of money laundering and being concerned in the supply of drugs by a jury after a trial. He was jailed for four years.

Read the full story here: He texted his mate to organise a lads' trip to Spain, and the consequences were massive

Austin Kennedy

A gun runner who fled the country after organising the handover a shotgun between crime gangs has been jailed after being extradited from Ireland. Austin Kennedy, 49, was a key member of a gang organising the transfer of a sawn-off shotgun in a car park in Heywood in 2018.

He was unaware the exchange was being watched by detectives from GMP's Serious and Organised Crime Group.

Firearms officers conducted an armed strike and seized a Japanese 'Singer Nikko' self-loading shotgun, which had had its barrel and stock shortened. Police also seized digital scales which had drug traces, and over £700 cash.

Seven men were jailed for their part in the crime in 2019, but Kennedy fled to his native Ireland. Today (Tuesday, March 18) Kennedy - who police believe controlled the weapon - was finally brought to justice after he was extradited back to the UK.

Read the full story here: He had no idea they were watching what was about to go down on a car park in Heywood

Cocaine Encrochat gang

A cocaine network gang who ran their illicit business out of a skip hire have been brought down after they became 'too comfortable' messaging over Encrochat.

Paul Connelly, Cristopher Boylan, and Cameron Ruddy swapped details about their intimate relationships, flight records, and social media handles over the encrypted service. Christopher Dean did not even use Encrochat, and instead conducted his illegal business over his conventional phone. When international law enforcement infiltrated the chat in 2020, the messages led them straight to the group.

Detectives uncovered a huge cocaine-smuggling operation operating out of a skip hire on Wigan Wallgate. Following a sentencing at Bolton Crown Court on Friday (March 14), the group have now been jailed for over 40 years over the conspiracy to supply the class A drug.

Read the full story here: The 'businessmen' running a secret empire out of a skip yard

Leon Blackett

A football fan who jumped on a police car during wild celebrations following Manchester City's Champions League final win has been jailed.

Leon Blackett was among thousands of fans who took to the streets of the city centre following City's historic treble-clenching victory over Inter Milan on June 10, 2023. But as the celebrations continued several people, including Blackett, climbed onto a GMP specialist search unit pick-up truck in Piccadilly Gardens, causing around £10,000 of damage which meant it later had to be written off.

The 22-year-old, of Craigmore Avenue, Didsbury, was identified through social media and CCTV footage. He was arrested at home in October 2023.

Blackett has now been sentenced to a total of 44 months in prison - three-months for what police describe as the 'football-related offence' and 41 months for possession of a knife and a domestic related communications offence.

Read the full story here: Manchester City fan's wild antics at Champions League Final celebrations landed him in jail