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Aftermath

Crime Files

Aftermath

The double murder of PC Hughes and PC Bone shocked the nation - it has been described as the worst police killings in a generation. Cregan’s next move was equally unexpected, as he handed himself in to the nearest police station, in Hyde. He claimed that his actions were in retaliation for the way the police had hounded his family while he was on the run.

The devastating impact of losing two officers in the line of duty is summed up by Chief Superintendent Nick Adderley of Greater Manchester Police, “I’ve got one officer that the Inspector is telling me is dead, I’ve got another officer he’s saying they’re working on - that was Nicola. What did working on mean? It seemed I was stood there forever and almost as if I was looking down on the situation. I feel in a way quite annoyed with myself about that, because you would think you’d know what to do. But I’ve said this many a time - we’re just ordinary people. We’re just ordinary people.”

Manchester came to a standstill as thousands lined the streets for the funerals of the two fallen officers, which were held on consecutive days at Manchester Cathedral. As police officers - many of whom hadn’t known Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone - bowed their heads in a mark of respect, it was clear that the loss was profound.

PC Fiona Bone’s father Paul says that she enjoyed her job, and how she shielded her family from the more dangerous aspects of policing, “She liked it. Anything that was a bit risky or dodgy, or could upset anyone, wasn’t told to us. We only got to hear the good bits.”