In a major overnight security operation, notorious cop killer Dale Cregan was transferred from prison to a Merseyside hospital to receive medical treatment.
High-Security Night Transfer
Merseyside Police confirmed a significant presence was deployed as Cregan was moved in the dead of night on Monday, December 1st. Images showed officers stationed outside Aintree University Hospital where the inmate was taken for what appeared to be a pre-arranged appointment. The force stated they were present to provide support while a patient received medical care, confirming the operation had concluded and there was no longer a police presence at the site.
The Ministry of Justice declined to comment on the matter. This is not the first time Cregan has required hospital treatment under armed guard; he was previously admitted to Manchester Eye Hospital several years ago due to an apparent growth on his remaining eye. It is unclear if the latest transfer was for a related issue.
A Notorious Criminal History
Dale Cregan is serving a whole-life term for one of the most shocking crimes in recent British history. In 2013, he was convicted for the murders of four people. He first killed gangland rivals David Short, 46, and his son Mark, 23. While a fugitive for those murders, he then lured police to a house in Mottram-in-Longdendale, Tameside, with a false report of a burglary on September 18, 2012.
As Police Constables Nicola Hughes, 23, from Saddleworth, and Fiona Bone, 32, from Sale, approached the door, Cregan opened fire. In an act of extreme violence, he fired 32 shots from a Glock pistol with an extended magazine. Both officers were initially hit in the chest but survived the first shots due to their body armour.
As they tried to flee, Cregan continued his attack. A shot to PC Hughes's back severed her spinal cord, and she was shot three more times. PC Bone suffered eight gunshot wounds; one bullet found a gap in the side of her armour under her arm, causing fatal injuries to her heart. PC Bone had bravely attempted to fire her Taser in defence.
Ongoing Threats and Violent Past
Cregan's violent notoriety extends beyond his convictions. He claimed to have lost his left eye during a fight in Thailand. In 2013, it was revealed that a rival criminal gang, sympathetic to the Short family, had placed a £20,000 bounty on his remaining good eye. The contract, allegedly put out by an imprisoned crime family head from southern England, was payable upon the destruction of Cregan's right eye in prison.
The brutal murders of PCs Hughes and Bone sent shockwaves across the nation, highlighting the extreme dangers faced by police officers. Cregan's subsequent whole-life sentence ensured he would never be released, but his required movements outside prison walls continue to necessitate complex and high-security operations, as seen this week on Merseyside.
