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Murder of Stephen Oake

SOLVED2003Crumpsall Lane, Crumpsall, Manchester, UK3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

On 14 January 2003, Detective Constable Stephen Robin Oake, an anti-terrorism officer with Greater Manchester Police, was killed while taking part in an immigration operation at Flat 4, 4 Crumpsall Lane in the Crumpsall area of north Manchester. Oake had served with Greater Manchester Police for almost 20 years and had worked as an anti-terrorism detective in the special branch since 1999. He was born in Poynton, Cheshire, and was the son of Robin Oake, a former chief constable of the Isle of Man Constabulary.

During the operation, officers found three men at the address, including Kamel Bourgass, an Algerian national who had entered the UK illegally in the back of a lorry three years earlier. Bourgass was wanted in London in connection with the Wood Green ricin plot, a bioterrorism plot targeting the London Underground, but was not immediately recognised by the officers present and was not handcuffed, as he was not perceived to pose a threat. Believing the officers had identified him in connection with the ricin plot, Bourgass attempted to escape, punching one officer and seizing a kitchen knife. Oake, who was unarmed and not wearing protective clothing, moved to restrain him and was stabbed eight times in the chest and upper body, including one wound that penetrated his heart. Despite his injuries, Oake continued trying to help colleagues subdue Bourgass. Three other officers were also stabbed before Bourgass was detained. Oake later died of his injuries.

The killing prompted debate over whether police in England and Wales should be permitted to handcuff suspects regardless of an immediate or obvious threat. A subsequent inquiry criticised the officers who led the raid for inadequate operational planning.

Oake's funeral at Manchester Cathedral drew more than 1,000 attendees, including Prime Minister Tony Blair. In 2005, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority paid £13,000 each to Oake's widow and his three children, an amount the Greater Manchester Police Federation said did not match his sacrifice. A Manchester street was renamed Stephen Oake Close in his honour, and in 2006 the Police Memorial Trust unveiled a granite memorial near the site of his killing; the memorial was vandalised in March 2007 and replaced six months later, with no one prosecuted despite a £15,000 reward.

A civil service committee ruled in 2006 that Oake's actions did not meet the standard required for the George Cross. He was posthumously awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal in 2009, cited in The London Gazette. A colleague stabbed twice during the incident received a Queen's Commendation for Bravery.

Kamel Bourgass was convicted at the Old Bailey on 29 June 2004 of Oake's murder, the attempted murder of two other officers, and wounding another. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 22 years, plus 15 years for the attempted murder charges; his appeal was rejected in July 2005. A second trial concluding on 8 April 2005 convicted Bourgass of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance using poisons or explosives, adding 17 years to his sentence; a conspiracy to murder charge related to the ricin plot was left on file after the jury failed to reach a verdict. Four co-defendants were acquitted, and a second trial for four others was abandoned.

Key facts

Victims
Stephen Oake
Date
2003
Location
Crumpsall Lane, Crumpsall, Manchester, UK
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2003-01-14

    DC Stephen Oake is fatally stabbed while helping restrain Kamel Bourgass during an immigration raid in Crumpsall, Manchester; three other officers are also stabbed.

  2. 2004-06-29

    Kamel Bourgass is convicted at the Old Bailey of the murder of Stephen Oake, attempted murder of two other officers, and wounding of another; sentenced to life with a minimum of 22 years plus 15 years for the attempted murder charges.

  3. 2005-04-08

    A second trial concludes with Bourgass convicted of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance using poisons or explosives, adding 17 years to his sentence; four co-defendants are acquitted.

  4. 2005-07

    Bourgass's appeal against his murder conviction is upheld/rejected, and the conviction stands.

  5. 2005

    The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority pays £13,000 to Oake's widow and each of his three children.

  6. 2006

    A civil service committee decides Oake's actions did not meet the standard for the George Cross; the Police Memorial Trust unveils a granite memorial near the murder site.

  7. 2007-03

    The memorial to Oake in Crumpsall Lane is destroyed by vandals.

  8. 2009-01-06

    Oake is posthumously awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal, cited in The London Gazette.

  9. 2011-02

    A High Court judge rejects Bourgass's appeal against prison segregation procedures.

  10. 2026-02-02

    The Parole Board denies Bourgass's application for release after he became eligible for parole in January 2026.

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People

  • Mustapha Taleb

    ACQUITTED

    Tried and acquitted in the second trial related to the Wood Green ricin plot conspiracy.

  • Kamel Bourgass

    CONVICTED

    Convicted at the Old Bailey on 29 June 2004 of the murder of Stephen Oake, attempted murder of two other officers, and wounding of another; also convicted in a second trial of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance using poisons or explosives in connection with the Wood Green ricin plot.

  • Mouloud Sihali

    ACQUITTED

    Tried and acquitted in the second trial related to the Wood Green ricin plot conspiracy.

  • Stephen Oake

    VICTIM

    Anti-terrorism detective (DC) with Greater Manchester Police, fatally stabbed during an immigration raid on 14 January 2003.

  • Sidali Feddag

    ACQUITTED

    Tried and acquitted in the second trial related to the Wood Green ricin plot conspiracy.

  • David Khalef

    ACQUITTED

    Tried and acquitted in the second trial related to the Wood Green ricin plot conspiracy.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Crumpsall Lane, Crumpsall, Manchester, UK

53.5183, -2.2478

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
DC Stephen Oake, a Greater Manchester Police anti-terrorism detective, was fatally stabbed on 14 January 2003 while helping restrain Kamel Bourgass, an Algerian illegal immigrant wanted in connection with the Wood Green ricin plot, during an immigration raid in Manchester. Bourgass was convicted of Oake's murder in 2004 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Where did the murder happen?
Crumpsall Lane, Crumpsall, Manchester, UK.
Who was convicted?
Kamel Bourgass (Convicted at the Old Bailey on 29 June 2004 of the murder of Stephen Oake, attempted murder of two other officers, and wounding of another; also convicted in a second trial of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance using poisons or explosives in connection with the Wood Green ricin plot.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.
More cases in United Kingdom

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Stephen OakeWikipedia · 2026-07-05
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — BBC NewsBBC News · 2026-07-05
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — The TelegraphThe Telegraph · 2026-07-05

Record history

First published
JUL 05, 2026
Last verified against sources
JUL 05, 2026