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Murders of Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone

SOLVED2012Abbey Gardens, Hattersley, Tameside, Greater Manchester, England3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Tributes to Nicola Hughes & Fiona Bone - geograph.org.uk - 3141738
Tributes to Nicola Hughes & Fiona Bone - geograph.org.uk - 3141738 — Credit: Gerald England · CC BY-SA 2.0

On the morning of 18 September 2012, Police Constables Fiona Bone, 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23, were on routine patrol for Greater Manchester Police when they were dispatched to Abbey Gardens in Hattersley, Tameside, at around 11am following a report of a burglary. The call had in fact been made by Dale Cregan, who used it to lure the officers into an ambush. When the officers arrived at the address, they were attacked with 32 gunshots fired from a Glock pistol within 31 seconds, along with an M75 hand grenade. Fiona Bone died at the scene; Nicola Hughes was severely wounded and died later in hospital. This was the first incident in England in which two female police officers were killed while on duty.

Cregan was arrested approximately an hour after the killings when he walked into a police station in Hyde. He was already wanted in connection with the murders of Mark Short, who was shot dead in a pub in Droylsden on 25 May 2012, and Mark's father David Short, who was killed in a separate gun and grenade attack at his home in Clayton on 10 August 2012. Cregan had previously been arrested and released on bail in June 2012 in connection with the Mark Short investigation; Greater Manchester Police chief constable Peter Fahy defended that bail decision, citing insufficient evidence to charge at the time.

Cregan was charged with the murders of Hughes, Bone, and the two Shorts, plus four counts of attempted murder. He initially pleaded not guilty at a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on 5 November 2012. His trial began on 4 February 2013 at Preston Crown Court alongside nine co-accused. On 12 February 2013, Cregan changed his plea to guilty for the murders of the two police officers. On 22 May 2013 he also pleaded guilty to the murders of David and Mark Short, which were linked to a long-running feud between two criminal families in Manchester. He was cleared of a separate charge of attempted murder relating to Sharon Hark. On 13 June 2013, Cregan was sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order for the four murders.

The killings drew widespread condemnation. Prime Minister David Cameron described the attack as "a shocking reminder of the debt we owe to those who put themselves in danger to keep us safe and secure," while chief constable Peter Fahy called it "cold-blooded murder" and praised the officers as exemplifying "the very best of British policing." Football clubs including Manchester City and Manchester United held moments of silence and wore black armbands in tribute. The deaths also renewed public debate over whether British police officers should be routinely armed.

Funeral services for both officers were held on consecutive days at Manchester Cathedral in October 2012. In December 2024, Hughes and Bone were posthumously awarded the Elizabeth Emblem. In April 2025, Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a Glock pistol used in the killings of David and Mark Short had been recovered during an unrelated drugs raid in Moss Side in April 2024.

Key facts

Victims
David Short, Mark Short, Fiona Bone, Nicola Hughes
Date
2012
Location
Abbey Gardens, Hattersley, Tameside, Greater Manchester, England
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2012-05-25

    Mark Short is shot dead at the Cotton Tree pub in Droylsden.

  2. 2012-06

    Dale Cregan is arrested for questioning over the murder of Mark Short and later released on bail.

  3. 2012-08-10

    David Short is killed in a gun and grenade attack at his home in Clayton, Manchester.

  4. 2012-09-18

    PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes are killed in a gun and grenade ambush in Hattersley, Tameside, after being lured by a hoax burglary call from Dale Cregan; Cregan is arrested about an hour later at a police station in Hyde.

  5. 2012-09-21

    Cregan appears before magistrates and is remanded in custody.

  6. 2012-09-24

    Cregan appears via video-link at Manchester Crown Court from Strangeways Prison and is further remanded.

  7. 2012-11-05

    At a plea and case management hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, Cregan pleads not guilty to the murders of Hughes and Bone.

  8. 2012-10-03

    Funeral service for PC Nicola Hughes held at Manchester Cathedral.

  9. 2012-10-04

    Funeral service for PC Fiona Bone held at Manchester Cathedral.

  10. 2013-02-04

    Trial of Cregan and nine co-accused begins at Preston Crown Court.

  11. 2013-02-12

    Cregan changes his plea to guilty for the murders of PCs Hughes and Bone.

  12. 2013-05-22

    Cregan pleads guilty to the murders of David and Mark Short.

  13. 2013-06-13

    Cregan is cleared of the attempted murder of Sharon Hark and is sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order for the four murders.

  14. 2013-08

    Cregan reported to be on hunger strike at HM Prison Full Sutton.

  15. 2013-09

    Cregan is moved to Ashworth Hospital near Liverpool.

  16. 2018-03

    Cregan is transferred back to Manchester from Ashworth Hospital.

  17. 2024-12

    Hughes and Bone are posthumously awarded the Elizabeth Emblem.

  18. 2025-04-04

    Greater Manchester Police confirm recovery of a Glock pistol used in the Short murders during a 2024 drugs raid in Moss Side.

Best coverage

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People

  • David Short

    VICTIM

    Killed in a gun and grenade attack at his home in Clayton on 10 August 2012; Cregan later pleaded guilty to his murder.

  • Nick Adderley

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Chief Superintendent and divisional commander who publicly disputed Cregan's stated regret over killing female officers.

  • Peter Fahy

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police who described the attack as 'cold-blooded murder' and defended prior bail decisions regarding Cregan.

  • Mark Short

    VICTIM

    Shot dead at the Cotton Tree pub in Droylsden on 25 May 2012; Cregan later pleaded guilty to his murder.

  • Fiona Bone

    VICTIM

    Greater Manchester Police officer, 32, killed at the scene of the ambush on 18 September 2012.

  • Nicola Hughes

    VICTIM

    Greater Manchester Police officer, 23, fatally wounded in the ambush and died later in hospital.

  • Dale Cregan

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to the murders of PCs Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone, and of David and Mark Short; sentenced to a whole life tariff on 13 June 2013.

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

Archival records

  • Tributes to Nicola Hughes & Fiona Bone - geograph.org.uk - 3141738

    archival location

    Tributes to Nicola Hughes & Fiona Bone - geograph.org.uk - 3141738

    Credit: Gerald England · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source

Places

Abbey Gardens, Hattersley, Tameside, Greater Manchester, England

53.4577, -2.0553

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
On 18 September 2012, Greater Manchester Police officers Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone were killed by Dale Cregan in a gun and grenade ambush after being lured to a house in Hattersley, Tameside, by a hoax burglary call. Cregan later pleaded guilty and was given a whole life sentence.
Where did the murders happen?
Abbey Gardens, Hattersley, Tameside, Greater Manchester, England.
Who was convicted?
Dale Cregan (Pleaded guilty to the murders of PCs Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone, and of David and Mark Short; sentenced to a whole life tariff on 13 June 2013.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.
More cases in England

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICMurders of Nicola Hughes and Fiona BoneWikipedia · 2026-07-05
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — BBC NewsBBC News · 2026-07-05
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — The GuardianThe Guardian · 2026-07-05

Record history

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