Man jailed over Ashton-under-Lyne gang trap shooting murder

Police said Cox's "callousness knew no bounds" as he visited a pub after the killing

A gunman who murdered a man after he was lured into a trap by gang members has been jailed for life.

Wade Cox, 31, "burst out" of a house in Ashton-under-Lyne as Luke Graham sat outside in a van in June 2018, Greater Manchester Police said.

Cox shot Mr Graham and the van's driver, who managed to escape, before returning to shoot the 31-year-old again as he tried to crawl away.

He was ordered to serve a minimum of 36 years at Manchester Crown Court.

A police spokesman said Mr Graham and the van's driver had been lured to the property on 13 June by a phone call.

'Callousness'

Jordan Atkinson, 26, of Stamford Drive, Stalybridge; Jak West, 29, of Parrenthorn Road, Prestwich; and Conor Cornforth, aged 27, of Calder House, Droylsden were all cleared of murder but found guilty of other offences.

Atkinson was jailed for eight years for encouraging or assisting an indictable offence, while West and Cornforth received three years six months and three years one month for assisting an offender.

Ben Dodd, 28, of Easton Road, Droylsden, was also received two years six months for assisting an offender.

Speaking after sentencing, Det Ch Insp Liz Hopkinson said Cox and West had visited a pub after the shooting, adding that "their callousness knew no bounds".

Lee Adshead, Francis Robert Atkinson, Jay Cornforth and James Denton were all found not guilty of murder.