Manchester: Dale Cregan pleads guilty to murdering Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes

Dale Cregan has now pleaded guilty to murdering two police officers – one of whom was planning to enter into a civil partnership.

Cregan admitted the charges on the fourth day of his trial at Preston Crown Court.

Fiona Bone, who had been planning to enter into a civil partnership with her girlfriend Clare Curran, when she lost her life, was laid to rest in Moray in north east Scotland, last November.

On Tuesday afternoon, the judge, Mr Justice Holroyde invited the foreman of the jury to formally record guilty verdicts on counts ten and eleven on the indictment, which relate to the murders of PCs Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone, following the admission from Cregan.

The officers were killed on the morning of 18 September 2012 as they responded to a report of a burglary in Hattersley, Greater Manchester.

Earlier, the judge had brought the jurors into court and told them, following a discussion with counsel, there was to be a “step in procedure”.

Cregan stood up in the dock and pleaded guilty first to the murder of PC Bone and then to the murder of Nicola Hughes.

He still denies the murders of David Short, 46, and his son Mark, 23.

The trial continues.

• Nov 29 2023

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