Latest news with #Etchells
Wales Online
11-07-2025
- Wales Online
Airport cleaners caught stealing booze and cigarettes from planes when secret cameras installed
Airport cleaners caught stealing booze and cigarettes from planes when secret cameras installed Sub contracted employees were caught by secret cameras installed after suspicions were raised Aircraft cleaners who stole alcohol, cigarettes and Pringles were caught red handed when covert cameras were installed. Suspicions were raised when Irish airline Aer Lingus noticed that two of its aircraft based at Manchester Airport had 'significant stock loss'. Secret cameras were installed on the planes, which caught 10 staff from a company subcontracted to clean the aircraft taking items, Manchester Crown Cout heard. The thieves broke open seals open to get the items. Connor Brooks, 28; Jonathan Etchells, 39; Dylan Nelson, 20; Richard Armer, 28; Usman Ghani, 25; Katie Moran, 36; Ciaran Lynch, 31; Mark Hicks, 37; Roman Mahmood, 21; and Shawn Bailey, 52, all admitted theft. Prosecutor, Philip Hall said they all worked for a company subcontracted to clean two Aer Lingus planes which were based at Manchester Airport and flew between Manchester and New York, Manchester Eveneing News reports. Secret cameras were placed in the aircraft after the airline noticed 'significant stock loss' in May and June 2023, with cigarettes, alcohol and perfumes missing. The cameras operated over a few days in July and August 2023. Footage showed cleaning staff breaking into storage containers and trolleys, cutting seals and opening security tags. Brooks and Bailey were caught on camera on Saturday July 29 checking the weight of containers to investigate which ones contained items. Brooks said: "Nah, s*** again man" and Etchells said: "It's not worth doing." Article continues below Brooks later said: "It's been a bad day for the last five." The prosecution claimed that showed it wasn't the first day they had stolen from the aircraft. Brooks told Ghani 'get your clippers' for a container that was 'full of Pringles'. On July 30, Moran joked to Brooks, Etchells and Hicks as they searched containers: 'you're under arrest'. The footage showed alcohol and cigarettes being taken. Brooks could be seen putting miniature bottles of alcohol into a pillow case. The thieves were also heard talking about stealing perfumes, to which Moran and Etchells both said they had 'loads at home'. Brooks replied: "I want more, or is that too greedy?" Brooks also talked about not getting 'too greedy'. As Brooks crammed boxes of perfumes into a pillow case, Nelson told him: "Nice little day today Connor." He replied 'I've hit it for the last five', before adding 'well it's my third day today'. On August 1, Armer and another person were shown using a 'red axe' to break the security seal for a container containing three small tubes of Pringles. "He appears to have gone to a lot of effort to steal some crisps," Mr Hall told the court. Moments later, Armer could be heard laughing as he opened the door to a container before someone else took more Pringles. "Thieving ba*****s," he said, referring to colleagues." In the period in which the cameras were installed, €1,290.10 worth of products were stolen from the two airplanes. The 10 defendants were charged with theft between July 29 and August 4, 2023, the period which the €1,290.10 figure relates to. But the thefts are believed to have happened over a longer period, and the loss to Aer Lingus was said to be about €200,000, the court was told . All 10 were sentenced to 12 month community orders, and ordered to carry out unpaid work. Judge Nicholas Dean KC, the Honorary Recorder of Manchester, said the defendants who had been involved in selling stolen goods would be given higher amounts of unpaid work. Etchells, Lynch and Armer were ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, while the other seven were told to complete 80 hours. Article continues below The judge said most of the defendants had previously faced a conspiracy charge, and that at first it had seemed to involve 'organised crime'. But the charge was not proceeded with, and Judge Dean instead described the stealing as 'a form of casual theft' which became 'systematic'. "It is clear from an overview of the evidence in this case, that really what was happening is that nearly everybody seemed to be at it, and when individuals saw that others were involved in theft, they became involved too. This is serious offending because of the level of trust invested in you,"he said. Brooks, of Thornsgreen Road, Wythenshawe; Etchells, of Staithes Road, Wythenshawe; Nelson, of Bideford Drive, Wythenshawe; Mahmood, of Broom Lane, Levenshulme; Armer, of Chesham Avenue, Wythenshawe, Ghani, of Langthorne Street, Burnage; Moran, of Plowden Road, Wythenshawe; Lynch, of Austell Road, Wythenshawe; Bailey, of Fountains Road, Stretford; and Hicks, of Staithes Road, Wythenshawe; all pleaded guilty to theft from their employer.
Irish Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Air Lingus secret cameras catch plane cleaning staff nicking booze and Pringles
Aircraft cleaning staff were caught nicking alcohol, cigarettes and Pringles as one called his colleagues 'thieving ba*****s'. Aer Lingus became suspicious after two of its aircraft based at Manchester Airport experienced 'signficant stock loss'. Manchester Crown Court heard secret cameras were installed on the planes, which caught 10 employees of a company subcontracted to clean the aircraft helping themselves to items. The thieves would cut seals open to gain access to their loot, and use tools to break open security seals. Connor Brooks, 28; Jonathan Etchells, 39; Dylan Nelson, 20; Richard Armer, 28; Usman Ghani, 25; Katie Moran, 36; Ciaran Lynch, 31; Mark Hicks, 37; Roman Mahmood, 21; and Shawn Bailey, 52, all admitted theft. Prosecuting, Philip Hall said the defendants were all working for a company subcontracted to clean two Aer Lingus planes based at Manchester Airport. The aircraft flew between Manchester and New York. Covert cameras were installed onto the aircraft after the airline became aware of 'significant stock loss' during May and June 2023, with cigarettes, alcohol and perfumes going missing. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week The cameras, in operation over a few days in July and August that year, caught cleaning staff red-handed, breaking into storage containers and trolleys, cutting seals and opening security tags. On Saturday, July, 29, the cameras caught Brooks and Bailey checking the weight of containers to investigate which ones contained items. Brooks said: 'Nah, s*** again man.' While Etchells said: 'It's not worth doing.' Brooks later said: 'It's been a bad day for the last five.' Prosecutors claimed that showed it was not the first day they had stolen from the aircraft. Brooks told Ghani 'get your clippers' after noting a container was 'full of Pringles'. On July 30, Moran joked to Brooks, Etchells and Hicks as they were searching containers, telling them 'you're under arrest'. The footage showed alcohol and sleeves of cigarettes being stolen. Brooks could be seen stuffing miniature bottles of alcohol into a pillow case. The thieves could be heard discussing stealing perfumes, to which Moran and Etchells both said they had 'loads at home'. Brooks replied: 'I want more, or is that too greedy?' Later, Brooks talked about not getting 'too greedy'. As Brooks stuffed boxes of perfumes into a pillow case, Nelson told him: 'Nice little day today Connor.' He replied 'I've hit it for the last five', before adding 'well it's my third day today'. On August 1, Armer and another person could be seen using a 'red axe' to break the security seal for a container containing three small tubes of Pringles. 'He appears to have gone to a lot of effort to steal some crisps,' Mr Hall said. Minutes later, Armer could be heard laughing as he opened the door to a container before someone else took more tubes of Pringles. 'Thieving ba*****s,' he said, referring to colleagues.' During the period in which the cameras were installed, €1,290.10 worth of products were stolen from the two aircraft. The ten defendants were charged with theft between July 29 and August 4, 2023, the period which the €1,290.10 figure relates to. But the court heard that thefts are believed to have occurred over a longer period, and the wider loss to Aer Lingus was said to be about €200,000. All ten were sentenced to 12 month community orders, and ordered to carry out unpaid work. Judge Nicholas Dean KC, the Honorary Recorder of Manchester, said the defendants who had been involved in selling stolen goods would be given higher amounts of unpaid work. Etchells, Lynch and Armer were ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, while the other seven were told to complete 80 hours. The judge noted that most of the defendants had previously faced a conspiracy charge, and that at first it seemed to involve 'organised crime'. But the charge was not proceeded with, and Judge Dean instead described the stealing as 'a form of casual theft' which became 'systematic'. He said: 'It is clear from an overview of the evidence in this case, that really what was happening is that nearly everybody seemed to be at it, and when individuals saw that others were involved in theft, they became involved too. This is serious offending because of the level of trust invested in you.' Brooks, of Thornsgreen Road, Wythenshawe; Etchells, of Staithes Road, Wythenshawe; Nelson, of Bideford Drive, Wythenshawe; Mahmood, of Broom Lane, Levenshulme; Armer, of Chesham Avenue, Wythenshawe, Ghani, of Langthorne Street, Burnage; Moran, of Plowden Road, Wythenshawe; Lynch, of Austell Road, Wythenshawe; Bailey, of Fountains Road, Stretford; and Hicks, of Staithes Road, Wythenshawe; all pleaded guilty to theft from their employer.
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Plane cleaning staff seen stealing booze and cigarettes on secret cameras
Aer Lingus bosses' suspicions were raised after stock started to go missing from the planes at Manchester Airport - so they set up secret cameras Aircraft cleaning staff were caught nicking alcohol, cigarettes and even Pringles crisps after security cameras were installed to catch the thieves in the act. Irish airline Aer Lingus became suspicious after two planes based at Manchester Airport experienced 'significant stock loss'. Manchester Crown Court heard how bosses took direct action and set up the surveillance system, which caught 10 employees of a company subcontracted to clean the aircraft helping themselves to items. Manchester Evening News reports the thieves would cut seals open to gain access to their loot, and use tools to break open security seals. Connor Brooks, 28; Jonathan Etchells, 39; Dylan Nelson, 20; Richard Armer, 28; Usman Ghani, 25; Katie Moran, 36; Ciaran Lynch, 31; Mark Hicks, 37; Roman Mahmood, 21; and Shawn Bailey, 52, all admitted theft. READ MORE: Ninja Portable Air Fryer lands in Amazon Prime Day deal with over £55 off Prosecuting, Philip Hall said the defendants were all working for a company subcontracted to clean two Aer Lingus planes based at Manchester Airport. The aircraft flew between Manchester and New York. Covert cameras were installed on the aircraft after the airline became aware of 'significant stock loss' during May and June 2023, with cigarettes, alcohol and perfumes going missing. The cameras, in operation over a few days in July and August that year, caught cleaning staff red-handed, breaking into storage containers and trolleys, cutting seals and opening security tags. On July 29, the cameras caught Brooks and Bailey checking the weight of containers to investigate which ones contained items. Brooks said: 'Nah, s*** again man.' While Etchells said: 'It's not worth doing.' Brooks later said: 'It's been a bad day for the last five.' Prosecutors claimed that showed it was not the first day they had stolen from the aircraft. Brooks told Ghani 'get your clippers' after noting a container was 'full of Pringles'. On July 30, Moran joked to Brooks, Etchells and Hicks as they were searching containers, telling them 'you're under arrest'. The footage showed alcohol and sleeves of cigarettes being stolen. Brooks could be seen stuffing miniature bottles of alcohol into a pillow case. The thieves could be heard discussing stealing perfumes, to which Moran and Etchells both said they had 'loads at home'. Brooks replied: 'I want more, or is that too greedy?' Later, Brooks talked about not getting 'too greedy'. As Brooks stuffed boxes of perfumes into a pillow case, Nelson told him: 'Nice little day today Connor.' He replied 'I've hit it for the last five', before adding 'well it's my third day today'. On August 1, Armer and another person could be seen using a 'red axe' to break the security seal for a container containing three small tubes of Pringles. "He appears to have gone to a lot of effort to steal some crisps,' Mr Hall said. Minutes later, Armer could be heard laughing as he opened the door to a container before someone else took more tubes of Pringles. 'Thieving ba*****s,' he said, referring to colleagues. During the period in which the cameras were installed, €1,290.10 (around £1,112) worth of products were stolen from the two aircraft. The 10 defendants were charged with theft between July 29 and August 4, 2023, the period which the €1,290.10 figure relates to. But the court heard that thefts are believed to have occurred over a longer period, and the wider loss to Aer Lingus was said to be about €200,000 (£172,400). All 10 were sentenced to 12 month community orders, and ordered to carry out unpaid work. Judge Nicholas Dean KC, the Honorary Recorder of Manchester, said the defendants who had been involved in selling stolen goods would be given higher amounts of unpaid work. Etchells, Lynch and Armer were ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, while the other seven were told to complete 80 hours. The judge noted that most of the defendants had previously faced a conspiracy charge, and that at first it seemed to involve 'organised crime'. But the charge was not proceeded with, and Judge Dean instead described the stealing as 'a form of casual theft' which became 'systematic'. He said: 'It is clear from an overview of the evidence in this case, that really what was happening is that nearly everybody seemed to be at it, and when individuals saw that others were involved in theft, they became involved too. This is serious offending because of the level of trust invested in you.' Brooks, of Thornsgreen Road, Wythenshawe; Etchells, of Staithes Road, Wythenshawe; Nelson, of Bideford Drive, Wythenshawe; Mahmood, of Broom Lane, Levenshulme; Armer, of Chesham Avenue, Wythenshawe, Ghani, of Langthorne Street, Burnage; Moran, of Plowden Road, Wythenshawe; Lynch, of Austell Road, Wythenshawe; Bailey, of Fountains Road, Stretford; and Hicks, of Staithes Road, Wythenshawe; all pleaded guilty to theft from their employer.
The Courier
09-05-2025
- The Courier
Violent prisoner from Dundee slashed rival in football game
A violent prisoner from Dundee who cut the throat of another inmate during a football game behind bars, before making a phone call saying 'don't expect me home soon'. John Etchells, 31, slashed his victim in the neck in an exercise yard at Edinburgh's Saughton jail, before telling prison officers: 'I'll not be threatened by any rodent.' Etchells, who has a history of violence inside and outside the prison system, later said in a call: 'I tried to kill the boy too but didn't get it.' He is currently on an Order for Lifelong Restriction and a judge ordered his latest sentence on five-and-a-half years should begin from May 6 2028, which is the earliest date he could apply for parole under the indeterminate sentence. Etchells, who is currently in HMP Grampian, admitted attempting to murder Connor Steele, 24, at the prison on June 1 last year after approaching him from behind and striking him on the neck with a knife to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life. He also pled guilty to the unlawful possession of a knife. Advocate depute Leanne Cross told judge Lord Stuart: 'The accused has several pages of previous convictions, many of which involve serious violence.' His convictions include offences of attempted murder, serious assault and weapon possession. She said prior to the attack on Steele, he was playing football in the yard and Etchells was standing at benches outside the yard. 'While the complainer was still playing football, the accused entered the exercise yard and approached the complainer from behind. 'The accused removed an item from his pocket. 'He then cut the complainer's throat from left to right before backing away towards the rear of the exercise yard.' Steele was seen holding his neck and shouting he had been slashed. Officers saw his neck quickly become covered in blood. Help was immediately sought and one of the officers saw Etchells place what he believed was a knife down his trousers. The thug claimed that he had 'chucked' the knife but then suggested he had hidden it internally. He later handed over a ceramic blade, which was broken into pieces. Prison officers applied pressure to the wound sustained by Steele and he was taken by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where he was found to have suffered significant blood loss and a cut from the middle of his neck to the right ear. A consultant said the injury posed a real danger to life due to blood loss. Police investigating the attack seized a recording of a phone call made by Etchells, in which he said: 'Don't expect me home soon. I'm up for slaying somebody's throat again.'
Daily Record
09-05-2025
- Daily Record
Scots prisoner cut inmate's throat during football game at Edinburgh jail
John Etchells, 31, slashed his victim in the neck when he was playing football at an exercise yard at Edinburgh's Saughton jail before telling prison officers: "I'll not be threatened by any rodent." A violent prisoner who cut the throat of another inmate before making a phone call saying 'don't expect me home soon' was jailed for five and a half years today. John Etchells, 31, slashed his victim in the neck when he was playing football at an exercise yard at Edinburgh's Saughton jail before telling prison officers: "I'll not be threatened by any rodent." Etchells, who has a history of violence inside and outside the prison system, later said in a call: "I tried to kill the boy too, but didn't get it." He is currently serving an Order for Lifelong Restriction and a judge ordered that his latest sentence should begin from May 6 in 2028 which is the earliest date he could apply for parole under the indeterminate sentence. Etchells, who is currently in HMP Grampian, admitted attempting to murder Connor Steele (24) at the prison on June 1 last year after approaching him from behind and striking him on the neck with a knife to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life. He also plead guilty to the unlawful possession of a knife. Advocate depute Leanne Cross told Lord Stuart: "The accused has several pages of previous convictions, many of which involve serious violence." His convictions include offences of attempted murder, serious assault and weapon possession. She said that prior to the attack on Steele he was playing football in the yard and Etchells was standing at benches outside the yard. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The prosecutor said: "While the complainer was still playing football, the accused entered the exercise yard and approached the complainer from behind." "The accused removed an item from his pocket. He then cut the complainer's throat from left to right before backing away towards the rear of the exercise yard," she said. Steele was seen holding his neck and was shouting he had been slashed. Officers saw his neck quickly become covered in blood. Help was immediately sought and one of the officers saw Etchells place what he believed was a knife down his trousers. Etchells claimed that he had "chucked" the knife but then suggested he had hidden it internally. He later handed over a ceramic blade which was broken into pieces. Prison officers applied pressure to the wound sustained by Steele and he was taken by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where he was found to have suffered significant blood loss and a cut from the middle of his neck to the right ear. A consultant said the injury posed a real danger to life due to blood loss but that was managed quickly and effectively by prison staff, ambulance personnel and accident and emergency staff. Police investigating the attack seized a recording of a phone call made by Etchells in which he said: "Don't expect me home soon. I'm up for slaying somebody's throat again "
