A round-up of news from around the North West
Domenyk Noonan has been arrested on suspicion of imprisoning and raping a teenage boy.
Mr Noonan is one of three men who was arrested by police investigating reports that a 15-year-old boy was raped at a flat in Manchester’s Gay Village. A close friend of Mr Noonan said he had done nothing wrong and he had been ‘set up’.
Police were called to a flat in the city centre, at around 4.30pm on Wednesday.
Three men, aged 21, 36 and 48 have been arrested and remain in police custody for questioning. The 48-year-old is understood to be Mr Noonan.
........
Child poverty charities have claimed government plans for a two-child benefits limit would have a ‘devastating’ impact.
Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, outlined the controversial proposals.
He suggested unemployed parents could lose the right to claim extra benefits should they have more than two children. But campaigners hit back – claiming families would suffer if child-related benefits were capped.
Gingerbread, a charity supporting one-parent families in the north west and across the UK, said the government should work on ‘real solutions’ rather than penalising families.
And chief executive Fiona Weir warned the proposal would have ‘a devastating impact on children’.
........
A gangster tried to stop a judge from hitting him with a hoodie ban – so he could keep his head dry from Manchester’s rain.
Jason Corkovic’s lawyer told Manchester Crown Court the ruling was against his ‘human rights’ – despite having been caught with a machete and sledgehammers during a robbery plot.
Earlier this year, Corkovic, 41, was jailed with his uncle, Paul Corkovic, 48, after they were caught planning to rob cash vans. Their 39-year-old partner-in-crime, Jason McFeely, was locked up alongside the pair.
The Salford gangsters were caught by a police surveillance operation as they prepared to rob a £90,000 cash delivery from a Stockport supermarket on April 19.
They had their faces concealed with ‘snoods’ and were carrying a bag with a machete and sledgehammers in it.
Following the sentence, Greater Manchester Police applied for a Serious Crime Prevention Order aimed at stopping the men from plotting other heists on release.
........
A young man died while attempting a ‘wheelie’ on a motorbike he had bought hours earlier.
Christopher Singleton’s powerful Yamaha R1 bike crashed into the side of a car parked on Hartshead Avenue, Ashton. Mr Singleton, 25, had been riding at 100mph before the tragic crash.
........
A four-minute firework spectacular will mark the climax to a golden night of celebrations as Manchester honours its Olympic heroes.
Sir Chris Hoy will lead out more than 60 athletes at a public party in Albert Square tonight – including more than two dozen members of the Manchester Velodrome-based Olympic cycling team.
Royal Mail have also revealed they are to paint a second post box in the city gold as a permanent reminder of GB Cycling’s success at London 2012.
........
Firefighters were called to the Trafford Centre after a fire was accidentally started by a young girl in a car. She had dropped a penny coin into the cigarette lighter of her dad’s Skoda Octavia causing it to short-circuit.
The wiring behind the lighter set alight and a fire crew from Stretford was called at 10.10pm on Wednesday.
They arrived at the top car park at Selfridges but found the girl’s dad had already extinguished the fire and a blown fuse had stopped the blaze from developing.
The car was checked with a thermal imaging camera before being driven away by the owner.
........
Manchester City legend Patrick Vieira will be at the National Football Museum chatting to fans as part of a festival of football, music and food. He will be one of the star attractions at the three-day Un-Convention event.
The football museum will be given over for a day of music, debate and artworks inspired by the beautiful game. Oldham band The Whip will play a free concert at the museum on November 9.
Other highlights include a guided musical tour of Moss Side and Hulme picking out buildings and venues which chart the city’s musical history. The untold story of the famous Curry Mile will also be celebrated on November 11, with local historians, top chefs, and ground-breaking Asian musicians and DJs thrilling crowds throughout the day.
........
A terrified couple were tied up and threatened with a hot iron by burglars.
The couple, in their 50s, had pillow cases put over their heads and were also threatened with a hammer during the raid.
Three men wearing ski masks burst into the house on Alkrington Hall Road North, Middleton, at 7.45pm on Wednesday, while the couple were enjoing a quiet night in.
The gang made off with some cash and jewellery.
The victims were only able to raise the alarm about an hour later after they managed to set themselves free.
........
A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a woman was assaulted.
Police were called to an address on Broad Oak Lane in Bury shortly after 2am yesterday.
Paramedics were already at the scene treating a 43-year-old woman with head injuries. She remains in hospital in a critical condition.
A 54-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in police custody.
A 49-year-old man remains in custody having been arrested on suspicion of assault.
Police say they are ‘keeping an open mind’ about what happened, and are also carrying out inquiries at another address in Topping Fold Road.
........
It’s time to dig out the thermals – as the first icy blast of the winter arrives for the weekend.
Gritters are on standby as temperatures look set to plummet today.
After a few weeks of damp, mild weather, cool air is forecast to sweep in from the north – bringing with it sleet, hail and frost.
Daytime temperatures will fall into single figures across most of Greater Manchester, while in outlying rural areas they could drop to -3C.
Gritting trucks across the region are gearing up to deal with icy patches on the highways, although forecasters said that – due to a lack of rain in recent days – serious ice problems are unlikely.
Met Office spokesman Dan Williams said there will be more of a chill in the air throughout the weekend.
He said: “If we get showers overnight or early-morning tomorrow there may be some hail or sleet mixed up in that. Tomorrow is going to be
quite cold. Overnight it get will get into the minuses, potentially
as low as -2C or -3C in more rural areas. There will be widespread frost.”
........
Police have seized a mini Uzi machine gun after it was dropped by a would-robber fleeing a crime scene.
Officers were called to Coke Street West in Broughton Park, Salford, following reports of a robbery – and when they arrived saw two men run off.
While being chased, one of the them dropped a bag in an alleyway leading towards Seymour Road. Police found it contained a fully automatic machine gun wrapped in a cloth, and more than 30 rounds of live ammunition.
........
Detectives hunting the killer of an 84-year-old man have appealed to his neighbours for more information.
Vincent Kershaw was found with serious head injuries in his Rochdale home three weeks ago.
Mr Kershaw was believed to have been carrying up to £3,000 in his wallet when he was murdered.
........
Town hall chiefs have approved a glass link between between Manchester town hall and the Central Library – and the ‘Son of Beetham’
skyscraper.
The controversial projects – both by Beetham Tower architect Ian Simpson – were given the go-ahead by planners despite opposition.
More than 1,400 people signed a petition against the link between the town hall and library – which is also designed by Beetham Tower architect Ian Simpson. They said it would spoil iconic buildings and restrict the public’s right to roam as Library Walk would be closed at night.
........
Pop stars, celebrities, a children’s TV character and even schoolchildren are all set to switch on Christmas lights at events across Greater Manchester next month.
Thousands of people are expected to turn out to watch as some big names – and some less well-known ones – push the button in areas around the region.
In Manchester, chart-topping boy band The Wanted and X-Factor star Misha B will each perform before lighting up Albert Square on Friday, November 9.
And 90s pop band Steps and X Factor winner Matt Cardle have been lined up to help Stockport’s big Christmas lights switch-on at Merseyway shopping centre on Wednesday, November 14.
In Bolton, The Hairy Bikers will push the festive lights button while on Saturday, November 24, at 6pm in Wigan, as-yet-unnamed X Factor acts and Wigan Warriors rugby stars will gather for the town centre switch on on Thursday, November 15.
........
Manchester experts are turning their skills global – to help China come to terms with a rapid rise in its elderly population.
Chinese officials are looking to the NHS in Manchester for advice on how to meet their own healthcare needs.
Three health agencies are working with the Edward Centre for Healthcare Research, a Chinese organisation which is exploring care systems in other countries that could be adopted for use in China.
TRUSTECH, the north west NHS innovation service based in Manchester, has already completed one project to look at best practice in care homes and develop a new model for elderly care in China.
The MIMIT (Manchester Integrating Medicine and Innovative Technology) and the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement are also working with the centre.
Comments