Stephen Garvey, Arrested Over Murder Of Nicola Hughes And Fiona Bone, Released Without Charge

Man Arrested Over Murder Of Nichola Hughes and Fiona Bone Released Without Charge

A man who was arrested in connection with the murder of policewomen Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone has been released without charge, according to Sky News.

Stephen Garvey, 28, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder on Thursday.

Police were given extra time to question Garvey on Friday, which would have extended until 9.15am on Saturday. The Daily Telegraph have reported that the 28-year-old is a supporter of the English Defence League on Facebook.

The other suspect, Dale Cregan, appeared at Manchester City Magistrates' Court on Friday. He wore a false black onyx eye in his left eye socket and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.

Cregan is accused of murdering the Greater Manchester police officers in a gun and grenade attack in Hattersley.

He also faces charges of murdering father and son David and Mark Short earlier this year as well as four attempted murders.

A court sketch of Cregan appearing at Manchester Magistrates' Court

The proceedings were held amid a ring of steel as officers in high-visibility yellow jackets stood guard on street corners around the city centre building.

Inside the court complex, armed officers wearing dark glasses, black uniforms and carrying Heckler and Koch machine guns stood guard.

There were more armed officers outside court number 16, the courtroom where Cregan appeared after he arrived in a convoy of police vehicles and into an underground car park.

Cregan was brought into the secure dock flanked by four police officers.

Two more officers dressed in military-style fatigues and armed with machine guns stood outside the dock.

Police lay flowers at the scene where two female officers were killed in Manchester

Cregan, who has grown a thick beard, scanned the courtroom and stared over at the public gallery, where relatives of the Short family were seated.

Mark Short, 23, died from a gunshot wound to his neck after a gunman entered a pub and opened fire, around 11.50pm at the the Cotton Tree Inn, on Market Street, in Droylsden, Tameside, on May 25.

Cregan is also accused of the attempted murders of Michael Belcher, Ryan Pridding and John Short, who were in the pub at the time.

Eleven weeks later, on August 10, the victim's father, David Short, 46, died in a grenade and gun attack on his home on Folkestone Road East, in Clayton, Manchester, at around 10.30am.

Less than 10 minutes later on the same day there was another grenade explosion less than half a mile away on Luke Road, Droylsden.

Cregan faces a further allegation of attempted murder of Sharon Hark arising from the incidents on that day.

He will next appear at Manchester Crown Court on Monday.

More to follow..

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