Naman Shrestha
In September 2012, when two female police officers were murdered in the line of duty, it instilled a sense of terror into the citizens as well as the law enforcement. The cold-blooded killing launched a thorough investigation that ended in the capture of the perpetrator about an hour after the crime. The entire case is explored in detail in the episode titled ‘A Deadly Trap’ of ‘999 Murderer Calling,’ which also features interviews with journalists and officials who were directly or indirectly connected to the investigation.
Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone Were Unarmed When They Were Killed in the Line of Duty
Although born on December 31, 1979, in the City of Norwich, England, to Paul Bone, Fiona Susan Bone was raised alongside her sister, Vicky, in Scotland, where she completed her primary and secondary schooling. After completing her education with flying colors and finding herself, she joined the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) as a police officer in 2009 and quickly became an integral part of the law enforcement team. With everything going smoothly on the professional front, she also had a lot of things planned in her personal life. At the time, she was in a longtime relationship with Clare, with whom she had planned her future and even decided to adopt her daughter, Jessie.
As a matter of fact, Fiona was excited about the future and had been working on the wedding invitations on the fateful day of September 18, 2012, in Mottram, Manchester. At the time, she was on duty with another female police officer — Nicola Hughes. Born on October 16, 1988, to Bryn Hughes, Nicola was brought up in Oldham and Diggle, after which she attended Saddleworth High School in Uppermill. After graduating high school, she went to Huddersfield University to complete her higher education. Nicola joined Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in the same year as Fiona. Described as a compassionate and bubbly person, she was also a karate champion.
So, around 10 am on September 18, 2012, the two police constables were tasked with checking out a possible case of burglary in Mottram, Manchester. However, what awaited them was completely unexpected. As soon as Nicola and Fiona reached the location, they were welcomed by multiple gunshots fired towards them and an M75 hand grenade. By the time the police had arrived, it was too late. While Fiona died on the spot, Nicola was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition but was later announced dead too. The autopsy reports declared the cause of death to be gunshot wounds. Immediately, the authorities launched a hunt for the perpetrator.
Nicola and Fiona’s Killer Was One of the Most Wanted Men in England at the Time
As the police dug into the double homicide of Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone, they learned that a few minutes before they drove down to the house where they were killed, Dale Cregan had called the police line under the alias Adam Gartree. He claimed that a mysterious man had thrown a large piece of rock at one of the windows of his house located on the Hattersley estate in Mottram, east of Manchester, England, and he needed their assistance. So, when Nicola and Fiona reached the house to address the issue, they were taken aback when Dale began open firing on them.
At the time, he was also the primary suspect in the murders of Mark and David Short. He had shot the former to death in the Cotton Tree pub in Droylsden on May 25, 2012, and attacked David with a gun and grenade at his Clayton residence on August 10, 2012. Although he was arrested in June of the same year in connection with the murder of Mark Short, he was released on bail due to a lack of sufficient evidence against him. Strangely, about an hour after killing the two officers, he drove down to a police station in Hyde and surrendered himself to the police. Soon after, he was charged with the murders of Nicola, Fiona, and the Shorts and four separate counts of attempted murder. After his arrest, he regretted the fact that he had killed female officers and admitted that he would have rather killed male officers instead.
Dale Cregan is Serving His Sentence at a High-Security Facility in England
Since Dale Cregan pleaded not guilty to the murders of Nicola Hughes, Fiona Bone, Mark Short, and David Short, he stood trial for the same, starting on February 4, 2013. As the court proceedings developed, on February 12, he eventually changed his stance and pleaded guilty to the murders of the two female police officers. A few months later, on May 22, 2013, he even admitted to killing David and Mark Short. Finally, on June 13, 2013, he was sentenced to life in prison with a whole life order for committing four murders in the span of a few months in 2012. Following the sentencing, Fiona’s father, Peter, believed that Dale deserved the death penalty. He told The Guardian, “In certain circumstances I think it would be a good idea and this possibly is one of them.”
When asked if he would hang the perpetrator himself, he said, “As long as I didn’t have to do it – it’s the coward’s way out.” Meanwhile, her sister, Vicky, was relieved of the life imprisonment sentence that the killer received. She said, “I’m glad he’s not coming back out because he’s not safe to the general public. I don’t think he will ever be rehabilitated. I wouldn’t trust him to be released.” According to reports, Dale went on a hunger strike in August 2013 at HM Prison Full Sutton, after which he was transferred to Ashworth Hospital the following month. A few years later, in March 2018, he was moved back to a Manchester prison, where he was given access to snooker and tennis. As of today, he is reportedly housed in Ashworth High Secure Hospital in Liverpool, England.
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