Police officer appears in court accused of causing death of woman from Stockport
A police driver who crashed into a mother-of-three's car while chasing a suspected stolen vehicle has appeared in court accused of causing her death by dangerous driving.
Mark Burrows, 45, an officer with Greater Manchester Police (GMP), was excused from standing in the dock at Chester Crown Court as two charges were put to him.
Burrows, from Reddish, Stockport, pleaded not guilty to causing the death of Heather Smedley, 53, by dangerous driving and not guilty to a second charge of causing her death by careless driving.
The defendant, who spoke only to confirm his name and enter his pleas, was given unconditional bail until his trial on April 27 2026.
Burrows was at the wheel of an unmarked police car pursuing an Audi A3 that was suspected to have been stolen when the police car crashed into a Peugeot 108 driven by Ms Smedley.
She died at the scene of the crash, around 10am on December 23 2022 on Oldham Road and Otmoor Way in Oldham.
After her death, Ms Smedley's family paid tribute to 'the most kind, gentle, beautiful soul inside and out'.
A further pre-trial hearing will be held on August 15 later this year.
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Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Ross Monaghan: From Glasgow street thug to running with global cartel bosses
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) EIGHT years ago Ross Monaghan was lucky to escape after an attempt on his life in broad daylight. But last weekend, the Lyons senior gang member was shot dead along with Eddie Lyons Jnr in a brutal hit in Fuengirola, Costa del Sol. 6 Ross Monaghan was shot dead along with Eddie Lyons Jnr in the Costa del Sol Credit: Alan MacGregor Ewing - The Sun Glasgow 6 The pair were shot in a horror gangland bloodbath at Monaghan's Irish bar in Fuengirola 6 A masked gunman shot Lyons Jnr dead outside the pub before turning his attention to Monaghan Credit: Les Gallagher - The Sun Glasgow Monaghan had a £250,000 price tag on his head over a feud with the Spanish drugs cartel linked to the south of England, it's been claimed. Sources say threats had been made in the months leading up to Saturday's double execution, but it wasn't the first time that someone had tried to kill Monaghan. In January 2017, it was just like any other day in the Glasgow area of Penilee as parents took their children to school. But little did they know there was a gunman lying in wait with a kids buggy which had a firearm in it. The gunman honed in on target Monaghan and fired two shots, one hitting him in the shoulder, the other missing. Monaghan was wearing a bulletproof vest at the time and quickly fled to Spain following the attack. Mark Richardson and Martyn Fitzsimmons were both tried then cleared of the gangland hit on Monaghan at the time. Monaghan had previously been cleared of killing Kevin 'Gerbil' Carroll after a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to convict him. The Gerbil was a feared Daniels clan enforcer known for extreme violence to anyone who got in his way or crossed him. Carroll's earliest brush with the law came in 2004 when he was charged with attempted murder. The FULL story of Scotland's biggest gangster Jamie 'The Iceman' Stevenson Coming This Sunday He was accused of shooting John Madden, a pal of Eddie Lyons Snr, with an AK-47 but the case later collapsed. Carroll, who was from Milton, then made the headlines in 2006 when he was hit in the stomach in a drive by shooting. Four years later, Carroll and associate Ross Sherlock were hit at 10pm one evening as they stood talking to others at the roadside in Bishopbriggs next to their BMW X5 - a favourite set of wheels for criminals at the time. Nobody has been charged with that crime which left Carroll fighting for his life in Glasgow Royal Infirmary under the guard of armed police. The Gerbil was then shot dead in the Asda car park in Robroyston in January 2010 in an attack that took just 25 seconds. A car pulled up just before 1.30pm, two gunmen got out and fired 13 shots into the back of The Gerbil's Audi A3 as stunned shoppers looked on. Monaghan was arrested in July that year and put on trial for the gangland hit but he denied all charges against him and lodged a special defence of incrimination against eight people. The trial collapsed due to insufficient evidence. 6 The Gerbil was shot dead in the Asda car park in Robroyston in January 2010 Credit: Universal News and Sport (Europe) 6 Monaghan was arrested in July that year and put on trial for the gangland hit but he denied all charges Credit: PA:Press Association Eddie Lyons Jnr, Stephen Lyons and Ross Monaghan all grew up in Milton. In 2000, the Lyons family had infiltrated a publicly funded community centre in the area. They took control of the Chirnsyde Community Initiative which received over £1.4million in taxpayer funding and turned out to be a front for organised crime and laid the groundwork for a bloody feud with the rival Daniel Crime Clan. Eddie's father ended up in the dock after he admitted racking up more than a quarter of a million pounds in mortgage frauds by giving lenders fake income details. In April 2016, Eddie Jnr and Monaghan later appeared before the same court but were cleared of a vicious street attack on three men outside a bar in East Dunbartonshire which took place in April 2016. But the trial collapsed when two of the alleged victims said they had no memory of what happened to them. After the attempt on his life outside the school in Penilee, Monaghan fled to Spain and he struck up a relationship with the Irish Kinahan crime cartel. Monaghan is said to have been instrumental in building an alliance between the Lyons family and the world's most wanted gang when he boldly approached godfather Daniel Kinahan several years ago. He formed a relationship with the global mob boss that has prevailed ever since, giving the Lyons extra power and control over Scotland's illegal drug trade. Former top cop Graeme Pearson said: 'Monaghan started out as a young man trying to make his way in his business and would have to be trusted to do that. 'He was part of a group which became known for extreme violence. Monaghan going on trial for murder and being acquitted through lack of evidence proved his bottle to the gang. 'Then he was shot at and survived. He earned his stripes in that world. "And it all becomes part of a growing criminal CV. But people like Monaghan make enemies everywhere.' Pearson says he tried to warn of the threat posed by super cartels 20 years ago. He said: 'The South Americans realised their relationship with America was breaking down. Their drugs and money were being seized and they started looking for another business plan. 'Europe was ready and waiting for cocaine. The nation states had lowered their borders, so moving between them became very easy. 'The only problem was getting the product in. It started with West Africa, then Spain and then the Dutch ports. 'Gangs from all over Europe, which had previously been involved with other types of drugs, sex trafficking and theft, all became interested. 'Glasgow gangs were involved in shoplifting jewellery and gold and had contacts in other countries who were willing to buy and sell. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the authorities to pay much attention.' 6 Monaghan boldly approached godfather Daniel Kinahan several years ago Credit: The Sun Monaghan's links with the Kinahan cartel Irish Sun crime editor Stephen Breen, who wrote the book Kinahan Assassins along with colleague John Hand, knows all about the Irish crime cartel. He revealed that Ross Monaghan came up while the pair were doing research for their book. Stephen said: 'Ross Monaghan had cropped up in terms of someone who had connections to Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh. 'He's now serving time for drug trafficking but it shows you the Kinahan reach, the tentacles are spread far and wide. 'We were doing research for the book and his name came up in terms of having meetings around 2016-2017 with the Kinahan organisation. 'The Kinahan organisation had a branch in the UK, and the CEO of that branch was Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh. 'He was meeting individuals from Glasgow, from Liverpool, from Birmingham, from London and it was all about the wholesale trafficking of drugs into the UK. He added: 'You always have organised crime groups calling on their associates, calling on their resources and their contacts across Europe for help if a gangland war takes place. 'It's very possible that this could happen on this occasion although the Kinahans have been fairly decimated by the investigations of the Irish authorities and targeting those who were prepared to take up the gun on their behalf.' Last Saturday, Monaghan was watching the Champions League final with Eddie Lyons Jnr in his own bar in Fuengirola when the pair were shot in a horror gangland bloodbath. A masked gunman blasted Lyons Jnr dead outside the pub before turning his attention to Monaghan, who was shot several times as he tried to scramble for cover. Terrified customers and staff hid under tables and chairs and it's believed Monaghan may have had a £250,000 price tag in his head over a feud with a Spanish drugs cartel linked to the south of England. Spanish cops were able to ID executed Monaghan and Eddie Jnr as they 'knew them well'. Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay remembers watching Monaghan in court as he tried to dupe jurors into believing he was a 'smart, besuited and respectable young man'. The ex-crime reporter said: 'This was a complete fiction. He was a dangerous drug-dealing, gangland thug. 'It's usually the case in this world that foot soldiers end up in prison or dead. 'You would think the penny might drop that those ordering and directing the drugs and violence are often left counting the money. 'The Spanish authorities and Scottish counterparts should be asking themselves how on earth a drug-dealing thug and known member of a major international drugs gang appeared to have the ownership of a prominent business which quite literally had his name above the door? 'A guy like that should never have had the ability to put his name on assets for which the only source of their funding has been drugs."
ITV News
6 hours ago
- ITV News
Mum pays tribute 'cheeky and polite' teenager who died in Salford bike crash
The mother of a teenager who died in a motorbike crash says her "life will never be the same again".Kailem Robinson, 16, died alongside friend Kaine Darby, 17, after the bike they were riding together was involved in a collision with a silver Vauxhall Viva in Lower Broughton, and Kaine were rushed to hospital, but later died of their injuries. Kailem's mother Jill has now issued a heartbreaking tribute to her "baby", who she said "always had a passion for bikes".She said: "Kailem was someone who was always polite; he was popular with everyone and would do anything to help people out."He had a cheeky smile and infectious laugh and was known as the class clown in school, always making everyone laugh."He always had a passion for his bikes from a young age and would help other kids on the street fixing theirs. He was very lovable with me, always telling me he loved me."The news has shocked the community. He was so loved by everyone, including his teachers and friends. Kailem was the best uncle to his nieces."Following the crash, tributes and flowers were place at the scene of the crash by friends and family. People living nearby later complained of trouble as youths blocked roads and graffitied walls in tribute to the boys' families pleaded for calm, saying there were 'grateful' for the tributes, but didn't want trouble in the said the community had 'railled round' her, taking her flowers and shopping and raising money for the said: "I would like to thank the community of Lower Broughton for their support, from both those who knew Kailem and those who didn't." "Everyone has rallied round to help with donations, flowers and a Go Fund Me page to help with the funeral. Kailem's friends have been amazing, bringing shopping round and just being here trying to comfort me and give me some normality."Kailem will be missed by everyone, the reaction from the community has shown how loved he was by everyone who knew him."My life will never be the same again, he was my baby. I miss you son."After the crash, the 24-year-old female driver of the Vauxhall 'stayed at the scene to assist officers', GMP arrests have been made and 'the families of both victims are being supported by specialist officers as our investigation into the incident continues', the force mother Danielle Hughes earlier paid tribute to a 'loving, caring, funny and genuine son, brother and friend', who she said she will 'miss so much'. "As your mum, I had a bad feeling about this day, but you made your own decisions. I wish you didn't on this day, but if you're happy son, then so am I," she spoke out to condemn the behaviour of those who remained at the scene with incidents of vandalism and spray painting."I don't condone the behaviour that has been going on at the scene since the accident - the spray-painting, vandalism and motorbikes riding round," she said."This is not what Kaine would have wanted. We want peace and to remember Kaine calmly, surrounded by his loved ones."
Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Neighbourhoods where people are most likely to be mugged, carjacked or robbed
The neighbourhoods and town centres where people are most likely to be mugged, carjacked or threatened and forced to hand over mobile phones have been revealed by a new crime map. A new interactive crime map has revealed the neighbourhoods in Britain where you're most likely to be mugged, carjacked or robbed, according to police data. Last year, police recorded more than 80,000 crimes of robbery in England and Wales. That is any crime where an offender uses force or the threat of force in order to steal. It can include mugging (where someone is attacked and robbed on the street), robbery by intimidation (making someone think violence or force will be used to steal from them), carjacking (using force to steal a vehicle), an armed robbery or a bank robbery. It is a more serious offence than simple theft and can leave victims suffering psychological harm, even triggering long-term mental health issues such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The maximum sentence is life imprisonment. As with most crime types, robberies are more likely to take place in busy town and city centres than in residential neighbourhoods. Last year, outside central London - where tourists are far more likely to be targeted than anywhere else - Leeds City Centre witnessed the highest number of robberies with 365, the equivalent of one per day. Next was the North Central & Dartmouth Circus (287) and Central (262) districts of Birmingham city centre. You can see how crime rates compare near you using our interactive map. Crime rates - the number of crimes in each area for every 1,000 people living there - allow for a fairer comparison of the likelihood of being robbed in places with widely different population sizes. However, in some busy city centres, the results may be skewed by the number of visitors. After Leeds City Centre and districts within Birmingham's city centre, the risk of a robbery was greatest in Central Bradford. There were 133 robberies last year in Central Bradford, a rate of 20 crimes for every 1,000 people, or one robbery for every 50 residents. Next was Bristol's City Centre & Harbourside neighbourhood (17 robberies per 1,000 residents), Leicester City Centre (16 per 1,000 people), Central Blackpool (14), and Nottingham City Centre & Trent Bridge (14). However, robbery is far more likely in London than anywhere else in England and Wales. The 32 local authority areas with the highest rates of robbery are all boroughs of London. Of neighbourhood areas, robberies were most common in Fitzrovia West & Soho, a total of 1,285 last year. That's the equivalent of a robbery every seven hours, or at least three each day. Figures are available for every one of more than 7,000 neighbourhoods in England and Wales apart from areas covered by Greater Manchester Police, as the force has not supplied crime data for last year. Crime figures are available for neighbourhoods with between 7,000 and 10,000 residents, which the government designates as Middle Super Output Areas (MSOAs). The statistics do not include crimes reported at train stations, as British Transport Police record them.
