Latest news with #drugdeal
The Sun
4 days ago
- The Sun
We live on Angela Rayner's old estate & we're desperate to move… druggies deal on my doorstep & teen girls are tooled up
WITNESSING another drug deal brazenly take place in spitting distance of her doorstep, a nervous mum hurriedly shuts her curtains. Terrified of 'reprisals' if she were to speak out, she and many other residents on the estate in the north west town choose instead to turn a blind eye. 14 14 14 Meanwhile locals in neighbouring communities admit they fear walking the streets at night and complain of intimidating gangs of youths, drug-dealing, anti-social behaviour, stabbings, shootings and the menace of organised crime groups - known as OCGs. Stockport has traditionally seen much lower levels of gang activity than Manchester, and figures show it has the second lowest crime rate in Greater Man chester as a whole. When comparing crime rates across England and Wales, it is ranked 130th out of 313 areas for the 'most dangerous' place to live, with a rate of 80.7 crimes per 1,000 people. But the stats don't tell the full story, for while some of its affluent areas do indeed have low levels, it's more deprived districts are now crime hotspots – with a 2024 council report revealing it to be the eighth most polarised borough in England. Two years ago there were a series of gangland hits which a judge said had 'all the hallmarks' of a dispute between serious organised criminals. Gunman Kieran Morgan, 30, used a sawn-off double shotgun to target two homes and a takeaway, where customers and staff were present. Morgan had acted on the orders of Zaki Shazad, 22, who, in turn, was said to be operating on behalf of an unidentified more senior criminal. Judge Jonathan Seely, at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court, described the shootings as an 'increasingly terrifying phenomenon for the citizens of our country' when he jailed Morgan for 18 years and Shazad for 16 years in June. 'Bad families on every street' One of Stockport's so-called crime hotspots is the 'Brinny' estate in Brinnington, which has become notorious for its gangs of youths causing mayhem on e-bikes and scooters, while drugs and anti-social behaviour are everyday concerns. Some residents are too terrified to leave their homes at night and won't contact police due to fears they'll be labelled a 'grass'. Chilling moment schoolboy, 12, stalks playground brandishing HUGE knife in front of pupils shouting 'what ARE you doing' 14 14 14 One woman, who didn't wish to be named, told The Sun 'there are bad families on every street', but the threat of 'reprisals' meant a lot of crimes go unreported. A mother collecting her child from a nearby school added: 'You see people who are on drugs or who've been drinking. 'I certainly wouldn't walk around here at night. There are lots of kids on e-bikes and scooters and they're really dangerous because you can't hear them coming. 'There's also anti-social behaviour with kids hanging around, although it's not quite as bad as it used to be. 'I do think a bigger police presence would be a good thing.' 'Police here every day' Meanwhile residents in Shaw Heath, as well as those on the neighbouring Bridgehall estate, where Manchester City star Phil Foden and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner went to school, say crime is a constant worry. On the day The Sun visited Bridgehall, police were seen detaining a teenage girl who was suspected of carrying a knife. There's a lot of people around here on drink and drugs and they swear and say to you, 'What you looking at?' Sometimes I'm scared to look at people because of how they react Karen Robinson A mother-of-three, who didn't wish to be named, said she often witnessed drug deals taking place outside her house. 'Cars will pull up and people will get in so they can pretend to be friends,' she said. 'But it's obvious what's going on. I want to move because it's so bad. But it's hard to find a bigger home.' She added that police are 'here every day' due to persistent anti-social behaviour but 'never do anything'. Her neighbour Steven Wood, 39, said he 'worries' about the older members of his family because of 'intimidating' gangs of drug-taking youths hanging around on the streets or in alleyways. 'It used to be lovely round here but it's not now,' he told The Sun. 'You're constantly on edge waiting for something to happen.' He added that his aunty had made a 'long list' of reports to police but 'nothing seems to get done'. Bridgehall resident Karen Robinson, 48, whose daughter was in the same school class as Foden, said it can be 'uncomfortable' living on the estate. 'You look at people the wrong way and they can be a bit funny, a bit nasty,' she said. 'There's a lot of people around here on drink and drugs and they swear and say to you, 'What you looking at?' 'Sometimes I'm scared to look at people because of how they react. 14 14 'I've been on my own for nine years after my daughter left home, and I feel it's a place where I go in, shut my door and keep myself to myself. 'I only really talk to my neighbour and the kids are really cheeky and swear at you and call you names. 'There's no respect at all with the younger generation.' She said there had been a recent machete attack on the estate and other violent incidents, including a taxi driver being stabbed, and she wanted to 'get out'. 'Gangs & guns' Nurse Amy Fletcher, 28, said she knew 'dodgy' activities took place on the estate and police regularly carried out raids. 'Probably the worst thing is people stealing,' she said. 'I saw some kids up on a roof the other day. 'And I thought to myself, 'Please get down from there, that's not sensible'.' And another Bridgehall resident, who only gave his name as David, said: 'There are loads of kids around here who cause trouble. 'We've had problems for years with the e-bikes, scooters and anti-social behaviour. 'They just don't care and taunt the police when they come round.' In January 2021 a carjacking led to a restaurant owner and father-of-three being run over and killed. It used to be lovely round here but it's not now. You're constantly on edge waiting for something to happen Steven Wood Mohammed Islam, 53, who owned the Marple Spice restaurant, died as he tried to stop a teenage gang stealing his silver Mercedes - a 25th wedding anniversary gift from his children - in Romiley, Stockport. He'd tried to cling on to the car before he was sent 'flying' to the ground, with the car then running over his head as the 14-year-old behind the wheel, from Brinnington, 'floored' it. Five teenagers - including Connor Read, 19 - were later sentenced for their role in the shocking crime. In June that year 'gang rivalry' spilled out into the streets of Cheadle Hulme when a 15-year-old gunman fired shots at a convenience store in broad daylight before pointing the gun at a delivery driver. Manchester Crown Court heard how Jacob Richards had become 'firmly entrenched in a culture of gangs and guns' and had 'bragged' about his crimes in raps. Richards also carried out a separate arson attack with fellow gunman Remico Embrack, 20, and was convicted for a catalogue of violent incidents in 2024. County lines crackdown As far back as 2020, a Youth Violence Strategy report had warned of 'increasing levels of serious youth violence, criminal exploitation and working with children who identify themselves as having a gang affiliation'. Among its recommendations was early intervention and knife crime awareness sessions in schools, the identification of 'at risk' children and active policing in crime hot-spots. 14 14 14 Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and partners are supporting the Home Office's Safer Streets Summer Initiative, aimed at reducing crime across town centres and communities. The force has been involved in other initiatives and operations to tackle serious and organised crime. Programme Challenger sees them working with other agencies to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks, including drug lines, the buying and use of firearms and money laundering. And Operation Venture, launched in 2023, sees officers working as part of a multi-agency team, which includes the Greater Manchester's Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), and using a variety of tactics to tackle violence, particularly involving young people and knife crime. Last year it led to three men from Brinnington being charged as part of a crackdown on a county lines drug-dealing operation. Three separate incidents also led to five arrests and the recovery of a large amount of cash and drugs and the 'dismantling' of an OCG in the Shaw Heath area. On the one-year anniversary of Challenger, the force claimed to have made a 'sizeable impact' on reducing serious violence on the streets, with 452 arrests, 130 weapons recovered, and £250,0000 seized. Superintendent David Henthorne, from Greater Manchester Police's Stockport district, said: 'Across Stockport on a daily basis, officers from a variety of teams undertake work to tackle criminality, lock-up those responsible, and help address the roots to these issues. 'This includes our neighbourhood teams who immerse themselves in their communities, knowing who causes problems and when, and can appropriately patrol and monitor known hotspots to crack down on ASB, drug-dealing, and other offences causing misery in people's lives.' He wanted to encourage anyone in the community who was having issues to contact local officers or do so anonymously via Crimestoppers. A spokesperson for Stockport Council said: 'Stockport is a great place to live and work. We've been regularly recognised among the best places to live by national publications like the Sunday Times. 'This data from 2017 doesn't reflect the Stockport of today: a borough being transformed through major investment and partnership working. 'We know feeling safe is fundamental to people's quality of life, which is why tackling crime and anti-social behaviour remains a priority for us and our partners. 'Through our One Stockport, One Future approach, working closely with partners and Greater Manchester Police, we're tackling the root causes of crime and inequality — building safer, stronger communities for everyone. We encourage all residents to report concerns and access support where needed.' A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) said: 'Greater Manchester has a strong record of working in partnership to tackle serious and organised crime across the city-region, exemplified through Programme Challenger. "There is no evidence to suggest the threat of serious organised crime is getting worse in Stockport. 'Wherever any localised issues arise we work in partnership with GMP and others through Programme Challenger to tackle this with local community organisations. 'There is also exemplary safeguarding work taking place in the borough through the Aspire Complex Safeguarding Team to protect children and young people from harm.'
BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
Man found guilty of murder after drug deal stabbing in Ilkeston
An 18-year-old man who stabbed another man through the heart during a drug deal in Derbyshire has been found guilty of Hartle, now 18 but 17 at the time, delivered a single blow with a knife to Noah Smedley, who had met Hartle and his three friends off Heanor Road, Ilkeston, to sell them cannabis on 28 incident was captured on a neighbour's CCTV, which showed Hartle running away from the scene. Mr Smedley also attempted to run away but collapsed nearby and Shaun Smith KC thanked the jury, and turning to Hartle, said: "You have been found guilty, you know what those consequences are. In the meantime, you will be remanded back into custody." The defendant, of Station Road, Stanley, Derbyshire, had admitted possessing a bladed article in a public place but denied of "yes" were heard from the public gallery as the foreman returned the jury's unanimous verdict after two hours and 49 minutes of initially showed no emotion but then broke down in tears in the dock. The judge also said he would give out High Sherriff's awards to three people who tried to save Mr Smedley's life at the will be sentenced on 22 August.
The Independent
17-07-2025
- The Independent
Stab victim ‘gave grief' to murder-accused's friend over £20 debt, trial told
An 18-year-old man who was stabbed in the heart with a Rambo-style knife had given 'grief' over a £20 cannabis debt to the friend of a teenager accused of his murder, a trial has heard. Jurors were told that Charles Hartle, 18, wearing a balaclava, grinned when he 'thrust' the knife into Noah Smedley's chest after a drug deal in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, on the evening of December 28 last year. Hartle, also known as Charlie, was 17 at the time of the alleged attack. The defendant, of Station Road, Stanley, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article in a public place but denies murder. Marcus Coleman, a friend of Hartle's who was 'feet away' from the attack, went with two other friends and the defendant to buy cannabis from Mr Smedley that evening. Mr Coleman, who was 17 at the time but is now 18, denied that there was animosity between him and Mr Smedley because of an incident months earlier. Peter Joyce KC, defending Hartle, cross-examined Mr Coleman, who gave evidence from behind a screen at Derby Crown Court on Thursday, and said: 'Noah had been causing you… some grief about a £20 debt of cannabis a little while before.' The witness replied: 'It was a separate incident that happened months prior, it had nothing to do with this incident.' Mr Joyce said: 'I suggest it was on this night you saw Charlie for the first time in four months, that's when you told him about the problem with Noah. 'You told him that Noah was giving you grief. Noah had really annoyed you, irritated you, hacked you off.' Mr Coleman said it was 'not really a problem'. Mr Joyce said: 'There was no need at all for four of you to go and meet Noah was there? Unless there was a second purpose that required all four of you to go, namely to give him a bit of a slapping. 'For the next four hours the three of you are together at your home aren't you? The three of you instead spent between nine o'clock and one o'clock… doing a number of things. One, smoking weed. Two, talking about what had happened and, I suggest, agreeing your stories.' Mr Coleman replied: 'No sir.' Mr Joyce asked: 'Did you decide you would not say the three of you had a grudge against Noah?' The witness said no. Mr Coleman said: 'We weren't really talking about anything sir, we were shocked. We were trying to distract ourselves with the cannabis and I think I was on my PS5 at the time, trying to distract myself from the situation.' When asked why he left the scene with his friends after Hartle ran away instead of helping Mr Smedley, Mr Coleman said he was 'scared' and added: 'I still regret it to this day.' Mr Joyce said: 'You ran away from Noah in the opposite direction and you took a roundabout route to get away so you would not be seen. 'I'm going to suggest that the reason for all of that was that all four of you – you three and Charlie – had agreed earlier that Noah was to be given a bit of a slapping.' Mr Coleman replied: 'No, not true sir.' The trial continues.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
Stab victim ‘gave grief' to murder-accused's friend over £20 debt, trial told
An 18-year-old man who was stabbed in the heart with a Rambo-style knife had given 'grief' over a £20 cannabis debt to the friend of a teenager accused of his murder, a trial has heard. Jurors were told that Charles Hartle, 18, wearing a balaclava, grinned when he 'thrust' the knife into Noah Smedley's chest after a drug deal in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, on the evening of December 28 last year. Hartle, also known as Charlie, was 17 at the time of the alleged attack. The defendant, of Station Road, Stanley, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article in a public place but denies murder. Marcus Coleman, a friend of Hartle's who was 'feet away' from the attack, went with two other friends and the defendant to buy cannabis from Mr Smedley that evening. Mr Coleman, who was 17 at the time but is now 18, denied that there was animosity between him and Mr Smedley because of an incident months earlier. Peter Joyce KC, defending Hartle, cross-examined Mr Coleman, who gave evidence from behind a screen at Derby Crown Court on Thursday, and said: 'Noah had been causing you… some grief about a £20 debt of cannabis a little while before.' The witness replied: 'It was a separate incident that happened months prior, it had nothing to do with this incident.' Mr Joyce said: 'I suggest it was on this night you saw Charlie for the first time in four months, that's when you told him about the problem with Noah. 'You told him that Noah was giving you grief. Noah had really annoyed you, irritated you, hacked you off.' Mr Coleman said it was 'not really a problem'. Mr Joyce said: 'There was no need at all for four of you to go and meet Noah was there? Unless there was a second purpose that required all four of you to go, namely to give him a bit of a slapping. 'For the next four hours the three of you are together at your home aren't you? The three of you instead spent between nine o'clock and one o'clock… doing a number of things. One, smoking weed. Two, talking about what had happened and, I suggest, agreeing your stories.' Mr Coleman replied: 'No sir.' Mr Joyce asked: 'Did you decide you would not say the three of you had a grudge against Noah?' The witness said no. Mr Coleman said: 'We weren't really talking about anything sir, we were shocked. We were trying to distract ourselves with the cannabis and I think I was on my PS5 at the time, trying to distract myself from the situation.' When asked why he left the scene with his friends after Hartle ran away instead of helping Mr Smedley, Mr Coleman said he was 'scared' and added: 'I still regret it to this day.' Mr Joyce said: 'You ran away from Noah in the opposite direction and you took a roundabout route to get away so you would not be seen. 'I'm going to suggest that the reason for all of that was that all four of you – you three and Charlie – had agreed earlier that Noah was to be given a bit of a slapping.' Mr Coleman replied: 'No, not true sir.' The trial continues.
News.com.au
15-07-2025
- News.com.au
‘Stumbling, dying in pain': Woman breaks down reliving alleged moment Timothy Van Vo shot dead near Corinda home
A woman has relived the moments she says came after a man's fatal shooting following an alleged drug deal gone wrong – crying while describing how she saw the victim was 'stumbling around' in 'pain' on CCTV. Justin Richard Moulds-Steele, Andrew Van Mason, Cheyenne Anniki Petryszyn and Jay Allen Roberts are all charged with the murder of father-of-two Timothy Van Vo outside a home in Corinda three years ago. Police allege Mr Vo, 38, was shot in the chest following an early-hours altercation outside a residence on Cliveden Ave – allegedly sparked over a dispute about a poor quality drug deal. All four have not entered pleas to the charges. During a committal hearing at Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday, CCTV from the morning of October 4, 2022 – when Mr Vo died – was played to the court. The brief black-and-white footage captures several figures brawling in the yard of the home before a weapon is fired. Mr Vo is seen collapsing and blood spattering in the yard, before the groups separate. Breanna Spiteri told the court she went to bed about 3.30am that morning and later heard a commotion break out involving her partner, who is not Mr Vo. She said she heard 'loud, unusual' noises and someone being 'bashed', before racing downstairs and hearing a gunshot. Ms Spiteri said she opened the door to find a male body on the ground. She choked up in the witness box while recalling watching CCTV of the incident, seeing 'Timothy just stumbling around and dying in pain'. 'I didn't see that with my eyes, I just witnessed him laying on the ground,' Ms Spiteri said. 'But in the CCTV he is in so much pain, screaming and crying.' Under cross-examination, Ms Spiteri acknowledged she believed she heard her partner crying out for help while he was allegedly being assaulted by three people at the home. But after watching the footage, she acknowledged she did not see anyone 'striking or punching' her partner. Barrister Angus Edwards – acting for Mr Moulds-Steele – asked: 'You've assumed what you were hearing was punching and kicking, but you didn't actually see anything?' 'Correct,' Ms Spiteri said. She told the court she then ran out the door and saw five figures, including her partner, in the yard. After ripping off one's balaclava, she realised one was a woman. 'She was just standing there, and I just come sprinting down the stairs, approaching the door fast … and just attacked her,' Ms Spiteri said. 'She backed up and she wasn't even fighting back. 'I was just so overwhelmed and enraged I just ripped off her balaclava. 'I could see the tallest person in a black balaclava holding a weapon in his hand, and he was shaking. He was the first person to turn around, sprint and jump over the fence.' Ms Spiteri said she was then assaulted and fell back, before the rest of the group fled. The Crown is expected to call 22 witnesses for the committal hearing. The hearing continues.
