Issue. 35 - September 2017 www.facebook.com/LancsLocal | www.Lancashire-Local.com | www.twitter.com/@lancslocal
FREE
Inside This Issue: Care • News • Lake District • Sport
GMP Special Constabulary
welcomes new recruit
A former member of the Venezuelan Police Force is one of the latest recruits to join GMP’s Special Constabulary. Carlos Perez, 41 from Rochdale moved to the UK in 2010 and has said that over the years he has admired the British police service and wanted to become a part of it. Originally from Venezuela, Carlos was a police officer in his home country for 12 years and prior to that served in the Venezuelan Army for three years. Carlos said: “I like the
idea of making people feel safe in their own communities and want to use the skills that I learnt in my home country to help do that. “I want to be a part of the Special Constabulary to help others and ensure everyone feels safe.” Carlos is married with three sons. He enjoys practising Jujitsu with his wife and eldest son in his spare time, and will now spend a minimum of four hours of his free time every week as part of GMP’s special constabulary serving in Bury.
FREE
GMP supports walk to raise
money for two charities
A canal walk has been organised to help raise funds for two charities close to the heart of senior officer, Lynne Potts, who is fighting secondary breast cancer. ACO Potts, was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer and a tumour of the spine last year, and has vowed to raise £50,000 for the charities who are helping her through her treatment. On 16 September, two canal walks have been arranged that will go through five different boroughs of Greater Manchester. These five boroughs (Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford and Wigan) are ranked in the worst 20% of the UK for premature death from cancer. The first walk, which is 13.7 miles long, starts at Astley Green (at the Old Boat House) at 9am and finishes at Castlefield (Dukes 92). The second walk is from Castlefield to Castleton in Rochdale and is 15 miles long. People can take part in both or either one of the walks of their choice, and are encouraged to either collect sponsorship or send a donation via Just Giving. The route has been planned out carefully to include lots of places along the way for refreshments and there is free parking at the Astley Green. If you are interested in taking part or would just like more information, please email windmill.fundraising@ gmp.police.uk and you will be sent an information pack including a registration form.
Man who robbed and left victims unconscious
A man who robbed and left his victims unconscious has today been jailed. Mason Shaw (01/07/1996) of Sharples Hall Street, Oldham pleaded guilty to six counts of robbery and one count of theft from a person at an earlier hearing. On Wednesday 23 August 2017, he was sentenced to 8 years and 9 months in prison with an extended licence of 4 years and 3 months at Manchester Crown Court. Shaw has also been given a lifetime Criminal Behavioural Order, preventing him from entering Manchester’s gay village.
In September 2016, police received their first report that Shaw had robbed a man in Oldham. Between this incident in September and 10 December 2016, Shaw has committed a further six robberies, targeting people predominately around Manchester’s gay village. The court heard how Shaw would seek out people from this area, isolating them from the crowd, before strangling them until they lost consciousness. At this point he would rob them before leaving his victims to come around. Detective Constable Jonathan Barnett
of GMP’s City of Manchester borough, said: “Shaw has committed a number of robberies, clearly targeting members of the gay community, brutally taking their possessions from them. “I cannot imagine what Shaw’s victims must have gone through, being robbed and abandoned in such a terrifying way. “Given the nature of these robberies, I am grateful that we’ve been able to secure such a long sentence for his heinous crimes. “Today’s result hopefully goes some way to reinforce that violent crime, of any kind, will not be tolerated in Greater Manchester.