Cregan co-accused father shot in pub

The father of a co–accused of killer Dale Cregan was blasted in the knee in a pub by a masked gunman 10 years ago, a court heard yesterday.

It is alleged that Cregan and four others acted on the orders of Leon Atkinson (35), of Ashton-under-Lyne, to shoot a rival family in a pub in Droylsden, last May.

That led to the death of Mark Short in the Cotton Tree in Droylsden and was then followed three months later by a fatal gun and grenade assault on the victim’s father, David.

After months on the run, Cregan lured PC Nicola Hughes (23) and PC Fiona Bone (32) with a bogus burglary report before he opened fire on the unarmed and unsuspecting officers, then using his calling card by throwing a hand grenade at the stricken victims.

Cregan admits the murders of the officers but continues to deny the murders of the Shorts.

Yesterday, the jury at Preston Crown Court heard evidence that Atkinson’s father, Francis, had his left kneecap “blown across” a pub called The Victoria in September, 2003. It came amid a background of history between the Short and Atkinson families which began two years earlier, the court was told.

Giving evidence under cross–examination, Atkinson said David Short had smacked him in the mouth “for looking at him”. There followed fights between members of the respective families before a truce was called four years before the Cotton Tree shooting.

Atkinson denies the murder of Mark Short and the attempted murder of the three others in the pub at the time.

The trial continues.