Dale Cregan admits murdering police officers

Cregan pleaded guilty to the murders of Fiona Bone, 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23, during his trial at Preston crown court.

He continues to deny murdering father and son David and Mark Short.

The court had been told that he lured the unsuspecting officers to their deaths in Tameside, Greater Manchester, with a bogus 999 call.

When the officers arrived, Dale Cregan fired 32 times in a matter of seconds, before throwing a grenade as his victims lay bleeding on the floor.

PC Bone died while trying to draw her Taser, while Pc Hughes was shot in the head three times as she lay paralysed.

The court heard that Cregan handed himself in to police, saying: “I’m wanted by the police and I’ve just done two coppers.”

The 29-year-old, who had originally denied murdering the women, changed his plea on the fourth day of the trial and now faces life in prison.

“I’m wanted by the police and I’ve just done two coppers.” Dale Cregan

On the day of the killings, Cregan called 999 and said a “big concrete slab” had been thrown though his window. When the officers arrived at the house, he was armed, ready and waiting.

Nicholas Clarke, prosecuting, told the court on Friday: “As Nicola and Fiona walked through the small front garden, he opened the front door and immediately fired his Glock.

“Both officers were shot in the chest. The body armour that they were wearing protected them and the bullets did not penetrate.”

Pc Hughes ran down the path, but Cregan continued pulling the trigger, hitting her in the middle of her back just below her armoured vest, the court heard.

‘Immediately paralysed’

She was “immediately paralysed”, falling forwards on to the path. “As she was falling or lying flat on her stomach, she was shot three more times,” Mr Clarke continued. “Cregan then turned his attention to Fiona Bone.”

Cregan fired 24 shots at her, hitting her between five and eight times. “She was killed by a perforating shot to the upper left side of her chest, which caused fatal injuries to the top of her heart,” Mr Clarke said.

“Cregan was not finished. He turned his attention back to Pc Hughes and fired three more shots into the back and side of her head.

“She was shot eight times, causing a total of seven gunshot-related injuries. Four of the shots caused potentially fatal wounds.”

After shooting the officers, Cregan threw a grenade at them. He then drove to a nearby police station and handed himself in, telling an officer: “I dropped the gun at the scene and I’ve murdered two police officers. You were hounding my family so I took it out on yous.”