A 29-YEAR-OLD man was last night charged with the murders of two police officers in a gun and grenade attack, and two men in an earlier incident.
Dale Cregan was arrested after the deaths of con-stables Nicola Hughes, 23, and Fiona Bone, 32 – who was originally from Scotland – during a bogus burglary call in Hattersley, Greater Manchester, on Tuesday. He is due to appear at Manchester City Magistrates' Court today.
The crime shocked the nation and elicited an outpouring of sympathy. Ms Bone, who had been due to marry her partner, was brought up in Elgin, Moray, where she attended Hopeman Primary School and Lossiemouth High School before moving with her family to England.
Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in the north-west of England said: "The tragic events this week in which police con-stables Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes lost their lives in the line of duty have shocked and appalled the whole country.
"I would like to take this opportunity to express my sympathies to their families, friends and to all their colleagues in Greater Manchester Police on their very sad loss.
"I have today authorised the police to charge 29-year-old Dale Cregan with their murders and with the murders of Mark Short, who was killed at the Cotton Tree Inn in Droylsden on May 25, and David Short, who was killed at his home in Clayton on August 10.
"Cregan has also been charged with the attempted murders of Michael Belcher, Ryan Pridding and John Short on May 25 and Sharon Hark on August 10."
Cregan was already wanted by police in relation to the murders of David and Mark Short when the two officers died.
Mark Short died from a gunshot wound to the neck after shots were fired in a bar in Tameside on May 25.
Cregan has also been charged with the attempted murders of Mr Belcher, Mr Pridding and Mr Short, who were in the pub at the time.
The body of David Short, 46, was found at a house on August 10.
Cregan has been charged with the attempted murder of Ms Hark.
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