Dale Cregan trial: Defendant admits killing police officers

The man accused of murdering two police officers in a gun and grenade attack has admitted killing them.

Dale Cregan, 29, had denied murdering PCs Fiona Bone, 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23, in Tameside on 18 September.

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

There are also nine co-accused at Preston Crown Court, whose charges include murder and attempted murder of the father and son.

Cregan is accused of murdering Mark Short in The Cotton Tree pub, Droylsden, on 25 May and David Short on 10 August at his home in Clayton.

Earlier in the trial, the jury heard that Cregan lured PCs Bone and Hughes to a house in Mottram before shooting them repeatedly and then throwing a grenade.

Cregan had evaded a nationwide manhunt when he set the trap, the court was told.

'Shot in the back'

PC Fiona Bone and PC Nicola Hughes were killed on 18 September

Last week the two murdered policewomen's families listened in court to details of the "bloody conclusion" to Dale Cregan's alleged string of attacks.

He told police, "I'll be waiting", as he lured the unarmed and unsuspecting officers with a bogus 999 call.

As the officers walked into the front garden of a house in Abbey Gardens, he opened the door and shot them repeatedly with a Glock pistol eventually emptying it of bullets.

PC Hughes tried to run but was hit in the back below her body armour.

PC Bone, who was trapped in the front garden, tried to shoot Cregan with a stun gun and fell in a shower of 24 bullets.

Cregan returned to PC Hughes and shot her in the head before tossing the grenade towards the officers and discarding the pistol. He drove off in the householder's BMW.

He drove at "enormous speed" to Hyde police station where he surrendered.

Cregan then told an officer: "I dropped the gun at the scene and I've murdered two police officers. You were hounding my family so I took it out on yous."

He later added he was "... sorry about those two that have been killed, I wish it was men."

Other charges

Dale Cregan still denies the murders of David and Mark Short

Cregan and Leon Atkinson, 35, from Ashton-under-Lyne, Luke Livesey, 27, from Hattersley, Damian Gorman, 38, from Glossop, Ryan Hadfield, 28, from Droylsden, and Matthew James, 33, from Clayton, are accused of the murder of Mark Short and the attempted murders of three others in the pub at the time.

All six defendants deny the charges.

Accused of the murder of David Short along with Cregan are Francis Dixon, 37, from Stalybridge, Anthony Wilkinson, 38, from Manchester, and Jermaine Ward, 24.

All four are also jointly accused of the attempted murder of Sharon Hark on the same day, and a single charge of causing an explosion.

They all deny the charges.

Mr Wilkinson is also charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and Mohammed Ali, 32, from Chadderton, is accused of assisting an offender. They deny the charges.

Only Cregan was charged with the murder of the two police officers.

The trial continues.