200 calls a day for killer Cregan

Jurors heard it was “business as usual” for police killer Dale Cregan in the days leading up to a revenge pub shooting in Manchester.

Cregan (29), who has admitted the murders of police officers Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes, was involved in more than 200 calls on his mobile phone on some days, Preston Crown Court heard.

But this didn’t mean Cregan’s contact with some of the nine others on trial amounted to a plot before the killing, the jury heard.

Cregan is accused of the murder of Mark Short (23) in the Cotton Tree pub, Droylsden, last May.

Leon Atkinson (35), from Ashton–under–Lyne, is alleged to have recruited Cregan, his right–hand man, to carry out the killing in revenge for the lack of respect shown his mother.

Police have collected about 3,000 pages of mobile phone records and data to link Cregan and others to the shooting.

But Roderick Carus QC pointed out an absence of calls between Atkinson and Cregan on May 20 and 21 but a two–minute call on May 22. “No calls on the 23rd - within 48 hours, if I can put it this way, of the hit,” Mr Carus continued.

Short’s father, David Short (46), was killed in a gun and grenade attack at his home in Clayton on August 10.

Cregan, with Leon Atkinson (35), Luke Livesey (27), from Hattersley, Damian Gorman (37), from Glossop, Ryan Hadfield (28), from Droylsden and Matthew James (33), from Clayton, all deny the murder of Mark Short and the attempted murder of three others in the pub at the time; John Collins, Ryan Pridding and Michael Belcher.

Accused of the murder of David Short is Cregan, Francis Dixon (37), from Stalybridge, Anthony Wilkinson (38), from Manchester, and Jermaine Ward (24). All four are also jointly accused of the attempted murder of Sharon Hark on the same day and a single charge of causing an explosion. All deny all the charges.

Wilkinson is additionally charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Mohammed Ali (23), from Chadderton, is accused of assisting an offender.