Rachel Smith
Mentioned as official
5 crime articles
Live local crime desk with repeat-name tracking, ward pressure, and cross-case continuity.
Tracking is generated from public reporting and indicates mentions only. It does not establish guilt or conviction unless the source states that explicitly.
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5 crime articles
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A woman in her 20s is in critical condition after being stabbed on Greenwood Street in Greenacres, Oldham, at approximately 10:40pm on Friday, March 27, 2026. Greater Manchester Police responded to reports of an assault and found the victim with serious injuries consistent with a stabbing. No arrests have been made as detectives exhaust all lines of enquiry to locate the suspect. A police cordon remains in place with Greenwood Street and neighbouring streets taped off. Chief Inspector Ian Partington confirmed increased patrols in the area and urged witnesses or anyone with dashcam, CCTV, or mobile phone footage to come forward. The victim remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Greater Manchester Police are searching for Terry Dervan, 37, who escaped lawful custody and was last seen at Greenacres Cemetery in Oldham on Thursday, March 26. Dervan is wanted on recall to prison and also has links to the Tameside area. Police say he does not pose a risk to the wider community. Officers are appealing for public assistance and have released an image of Dervan. Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 0889 or 101 quoting log 1838 of 26/03/26, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
March 2026 saw multiple criminals sentenced for crimes affecting Oldham. Stacy Sharples, 31, from Bolton, falsely accused 10 men of rape, including several from Oldham, receiving four-and-a-half years in prison. Lewis Muir, 22, and David Boyd, 22, targeted Oldham homes in a 10-day burglary spree, stealing cars and valuables, with Muir jailed for six years and Boyd for 34 months. Sajjadur Aziz Malik, a restaurant director from Oldham, was ordered to pay £7,616 after health inspectors found cockroaches in his Warrington restaurant kitchen.
A 17-year-old girl was found with scratches on her back and in pain following an incident at Tandle Hill Country Park on March 21, 2026. Greater Manchester Police cordoned off two areas of the park after receiving a report from hospital staff. A member of the public found the girl's phone in the park, prompting the police investigation. Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Johnston said the girl is being supported by officers while forensic specialists examine evidence. Police have closed their scenes at the park but continue investigating to establish what occurred.
Jawaad Karim, 35, of Vicarage Close, Oldham, has been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life following a shooting on School House Road on February 15, 2026. The charge relates to property damage caused by a firearms discharge. Karim was arrested on March 25 and remanded in custody, appearing at Tameside Magistrates' Court on March 26. Police deployed extra patrols in the area and closed School House Road for several days while investigating. Images from the scene showed suspected bullet holes and a damaged car. Greater Manchester Police are seeking information from the public.
A singer from Oldham was found by a friend with a stab wound, an inquest has heard. Assistant Coroner Joanne Logan opened an inquest into the death of Patrick O'Hare, more commonly known as Paddy, at Rochdale Coroner's Court on Wednesday (March 25). He died at a property on Higginshaw Lane in Royton on March 8 . Police coroner's officer Jane Scullian told the court that Mr O'Hare had been found by a friend with a fatal stab wound. A man in his 40s was arrested on suspicion of murder but was released with no further action . The inquest heard how a police investigation and Home Office post-mortem 'ruled out third-party involvement' and found there were 'no suspicious circumstances'.
Greater Manchester Police arrested two men after discovering £500,000 worth of counterfeit goods in shipping containers on Hobson Street, Failsworth. Officers stopped a suspicious vehicle on Queens Road, Cheetham Hill, finding 12 pairs of Nike trainers with fake receipts and £3,000 cash. The search led to three containers containing fake designer clothing, footwear and perfume. A man in his 50s and a man in his 30s were arrested on suspicion of money laundering and trademark offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994.
Greater Manchester Police cordoned off two areas at Tandle Hill Country Park on March 23 after reports of a teenage girl being assaulted. The alleged assault occurred on March 20, with police called on March 21. Scenes were placed around the monument viewpoint and cafe entrance while forensic teams conducted searches. Police confirmed the scenes have now been closed. Officers remain visible locally to provide reassurance and support the investigation.
Benjamin Bailey, 27, of Fifth Avenue, Limeside, Oldham, became the first person in UK history to be charged with tailgating after being arrested at the Carabao Cup Final at Wembley on March 22, 2026. The new offence, introduced at 00:01am that day, criminalises entering football matches without a ticket following serious disorder at the Euro 2020 final. Bailey will appear at Willesden Magistrates' Court on May 1. Tailgating convictions carry up to five years football banning orders and £1,000 fines. The Met Police made 20 arrests at the final, a 78% reduction from last year's 91 arrests.
Emergency services responded to a welfare call on Park Bridge Road near Daisy Nook Country Park in Oldham this afternoon. Police, ambulances, fire service, and a police helicopter attended the scene. A man was returned to safety after a long negotiation and subsequently arrested on suspicion of class A drugs. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service deployed specialist water rescue teams near the Medlock River just before 3pm, establishing safe systems of work on both riverbank and waterside. Fire crews remained until all risks were mitigated and the scene was handed over to police.
First Choice Homes Oldham has issued 25 notices seeking possession of properties since Operation Vulcan began a year ago, targeting homes allegedly used for drug dealing and violent crime. Properties in Waterhead, Shaw, Coldhurst, and Sholver received notices for alleged class A drug supply, assault, robbery, and false imprisonment. Chief executive Mark Gifford stated FCHO is working with Greater Manchester Police to provide compelling evidence to courts, warning that criminal activity in FCHO properties risks eviction. The housing association emphasizes eviction is a last resort with support available for those in need.
Four Vietnamese men died in a fire at Bismark House Mill in Derker, Oldham, in May 2022. An inquest heard they were locked inside a cannabis cultivation unit and unable to escape. The men - Uoc Van Nguyen, Cuong Van Chu, Duong Van Nguyen, and Nam Thanh Lee - had left Vietnam to support their families financially. Human remains were found 10 weeks after the fire during demolition works. Police recovered 92 skeletal fragments from 5,000 tonnes of rubble. No criminal charges have been brought despite four arrests. The coroner recorded open conclusions, stating the men were being exploited to maintain a cannabis farm.
Eleven people aged 24-77 were arrested in early morning raids across Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside on March 19, 2026. Police executed eight warrants targeting a suspected organised crime group involved in class A drug distribution and firearms. Eight men and three women were detained on suspicion of conspiracy to supply drugs, money laundering, and weapons offences. Officers seized class A, B and C drugs including crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis, £70,000 in cash, a zombie knife, a BB gun and four vehicles. A firearms strike was carried out at one address. All remain in custody for questioning.
An 82-year-old man died from "multiple fatal injuries" following what police described as a "serious assault" at his home in Oldham, an inquest heard. An inquest into the death of Kenneth Turner opened at Rochdale Coroner's Court on Wednesday (March 18). Police coroner's officer Kathy Skelton told the court that the retired builder and widower received the injuries while at his home on Stoneleigh Road on March 1. He died the following day at Salford Royal Hospital, where he was identified by his daughter Christina. A Home Office post mortem has been carried out, but a full post mortem is yet to take place. The police investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr Turner's death is ongoi
Greater Manchester Police are searching for David Hanley, a 38-year-old man with links to Oldham and Manchester who is wanted on recall to prison. Police have appealed to the public for help locating Hanley, sharing the appeal on their Oldham social media platforms. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact police on 0161 856 8935 or via the Live Chat function at gmp.police.uk. Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A parent claims their son and his friend were attacked on Wash Lane in Chadderton on March 16 between 4.10pm and 4.30pm. The alleged incident occurred under the Metrolink bridge halfway up the road. The parent described the attacker as a white man in his early 20s and called it an unprovoked attack. The claim was posted anonymously on Facebook's Spotted Oldham page at 7.30am on March 17. Greater Manchester Police said they have no record of the incident being reported.
Sajjadur Aziz Malik, director of Samco Spice Ltd, has been fined £7,616 after pleading guilty to 11 food safety offences at The Cottage Indian restaurant in Howley, Warrington. Health inspectors found the kitchen crawling with live and dead cockroaches in refrigerators, freezers, and food preparation areas. The restaurant, formerly rated four stars on TripAdvisor, received a zero-star hygiene rating in July 2024 and closed by year's end. Magistrates ordered Malik to pay £2,769 fine, £3,739 court costs, and £1,108 victim surcharge, while his company was fined £300 plus £120 surcharge.
A van belonging to a dog walking business was stolen from Medlock Road, Failsworth on March 10, 2026, with seven dogs inside. The van was abandoned near Alexandra Park, and while six dogs were quickly recovered, one remained missing. Volunteers including a retired Oldham neighbourhood officer, Huddersfield Canine Search & Rescue, and Oldham PCSOs helped track the dog over several days. The final dog was found using thermal imaging with help from the owner. Greater Manchester Police continue investigating the theft and are seeking CCTV, dashcam, or doorbell footage from the area.
Police arrested 40 people during a week-long crackdown on county lines drug dealing in Greater Manchester. Officers raided 30 properties across Salford, Oldham and south Manchester, seizing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of cannabis, cocaine and ketamine. A £1m cannabis farm was discovered at an industrial unit on Gardner Street, Pendleton, with six men arrested. Additional raids in Oldham targeted a drugs line, with suspects arrested after running from properties. In Northenden and Salford, three men and one woman were arrested for dealing ketamine, cocaine and cannabis. Twenty drug lines were closed down across the operation.
Five Oldham men have been charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs following police raids across the borough. Greater Manchester Police executed early morning warrants at multiple properties as part of an investigation into a drugs line. The raids occurred during County Lines Intensification Week, a national coordinated action targeting county lines offenders. Between March 2 and March 8, 30 warrants were conducted across Greater Manchester, resulting in 40 arrests and the closure of 20 active drugs lines. Police seized over £34,000 in cash, drugs, weapons, mobile phones, electric bikes, designer goods, and high-value electronic devices.