News
Dangerous driver who killed pregnant mum on M66 could face longer sentence
Iqbal was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment and disqualified from driving for 14 years
The sentence handed to a man whose dangerous driving on the M66 killed a pregnant mother and injured three young children could be extended.
Adil Iqbal, 22, filmed himself weaving in and out of traffic at speeds in excess of 100mph on the motorway before he lost control of his BMW and crashed into a Skoda, while it was parked on the hard shoulder.
Frankie Hough, 38, from Chadderton in Oldham, was in the car with her two sons, Tommy and Rocky, and her nephew Tobias on Saturday, May 13th, when Iqbal ploughed into them.
The family were rushed to hospital by air ambulance but Frankie and her unborn baby girl, named Neeve, died two days later.
Frankie’s son Tommy, aged nine, and nephew Tobias, aged four, were also ‘very seriously injured’ in the horror crash, but her two-year-old son Rocky was not seriously harmed.
Iqbal, of Hope Street Accrington, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment and disqualified from driving at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury.
Passing sentence, the judge told Iqbal: “She [Frankie] was killed as a result of the most indescribable reckless driving by you Adil Iqbal, leading to the devastation of a family.”
Tommy and Tobias have now left hospital, where they were in critical care, but still require ongoing physiotherapy.
It has now emerged that the 12-year sentence is now being reviewed under the ‘unduly lenient scheme’, after being referred to the Attorney General’s Office by a member of the public.
The matter is now under consideration but no decision has yet been made. The Attorney General’s Office has 28 days from the day the sentence was passed to review the case.
A spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office said: “After careful consideration, the Solicitor General has referred this case to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme as he agrees that it appears unduly lenient.
“It is now for the Court to decide whether to increase the sentence.”
If it is referred, judges at the Court of Appeal may hear the case and then decide whether or not to pass a harsher sentence.
Anyone can make a referral to the Attorney General under the ULSS, and numerous people asked for this case to be reviewed.
As reported in the Manchester Evening News, Minshull Crown Court previously heard how Iqbal had his driving licence revoked back in 2020 after being found driving without insurance.
Four months after passing a re-test, he posted a Facebook video of himself driving a Lamborghini at ‘high speed’ on a public road in Dubai, using ‘hard acceleration’.
Two months prior to the fatal collision, Iqbal was pulled by police for ‘racing’ with another car in Lancashire while driving a VW Golf.
Both drivers were warned their cars could be seized if they were pulled over again for ‘bad driving’.
When Iqbal hit Frankie’s car, he was driving at 92mph.
The maximum sentence for a defendant convicted of causing death by dangerous driving was recently increased from 14 years to life imprisonment.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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