Prison terms are handed out to the worst offenders each week
20:55, 04 Apr 2026
(Image: G.M.P./M.E.N)
A man who flew thousands of pounds worth of drugs into Strangeways prison is amongst those who have been jailed this week.
Christopher Thornton was employed as a ‘pilot’ in a large plot to smuggle drugs into the HMP Manchester. He was jailed this week after a police investigation into the use of drones around the area.
Also locked up this week were two hapless drug dealers who were rumbled after one of them dropped their stash outside their flat which housed a lab.
Prison terms are handed out to the worst offenders. Manchester Evening News court reporters regularly cover the most serious cases appearing before our region’s courts.
Here is a round up of those facing lengthy terms behind bars this week:
Christopher Thornton
A ‘pilot’ who flew drones containing tens of thousands of pounds worth of drugs and other contraband into Strangeways prison has been jailed.
Christopher Thornton has been locked up following an investigation into the use of drones at HMP Manchester. Cocaine, cannabis and ketamine were among the drugs within packages recovered from drones which crashed during smuggling bids.
Thornton, 25, was employed by prisoners as a ‘delivery pilot’ as part of the plot, Manchester Crown Court heard.
Read the full story here: The Strangeways ‘delivery pilot’ who is now behind bars himself
Samuel Adesanya
A man who was the victim of a shooting has now been jailed for possessing a gun.
Samuel Adesanya, 22, was left with a bullet in his chest following the horror attack in May 2024. He had been shot at a house in Salford, a court previously heard.
Minutes before, up to seven masked men were seen on CCTV outside the property carrying ‘fearsome’ weapons including machetes and ‘zombie’ knives.
Three men – Tyler Harrison, 20; James Gregory, 20; and Jacob Humphreys, 21 – were convicted of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm following a trial.
Harrison, (23/09/04), from Wigan, was jailed for eight years and 10 months; Gregory, (02/06/04), from Salford, was jailed for eight years and four months; and Humphreys, (03/05/03), from Wigan, was jailed for 12 years – nine years in jail and three years on licence.
Today (March 30) Adesanya was jailed for five years after a gun with his fingerprints was found at a house. He pleaded guilty on the second day of his trial to possession of a firearm and possession of prohibited ammunition.
Read the full story here: Man who was victim of shooting jailed months later for possessing gun
Matloob Hussain
A Manchester businessman has been jailed for making fraudulent Covid Bounce Back loan applications for three companies and acting as a company director while disqualified.
Matloob Hussain was the director of Dynasty Group Ltd, an Eccles-based wholesaler of clothes and footwear, and NA Collection Mcr Ltd, based in Manchester, which provided online sales of products such as confectionery.
In 2020, the 49-year-old successfully claimed a second £50,000 Bounce Back Loan for each company, despite each business only being entitled to one. In his second application for a loan for NA Collection Mcr Ltd, Hussain also overestimated the company’s turnover.
The third Bounce Back Loan related to a sole-tradership, for which a £50,000 was obtained following an application where he overestimated the turnover and provided a false statement that it would be used to the benefit of the business.
Hussain, of Devonshire Way in Manchester, admitted three counts of fraud and one count of acting as a director while undertaking a disqualification. He was sentenced to two years and four months imprisonment at Manchester Crown Court on 25 March 2026.
Read the full story here: Businessman trading in sweets jailed for fraudulent Covid loan applications
Nikoloas Giousoufidis and Christos Kompos
A major drug dealing base was shut down after a dealers dropped a bag of cocaine outside. Police began investigating the flat in Atherton after Greek national Nikolaos Giousoufidis accidentally left the snap bag on the floor on August 2 last year.
A member of the public handed it in to police. The next day, Giousoufidis, 40, was seen searching the area and inadvertently led cops to his door on Market Street.
On September 26, police raided the flat and found a drug preparation room and thousands of pounds in cash.
In total, £15,560 worth of drugs was found and £8,097 in cash was seized.
Giousoufidis, of Oak Street, Leigh; and Kompos, of Market Street, Atherton, were both jailed for three years and six months. They earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine; and possessing criminal property.
Read the full story here: Led by ‘Albanians’, one mistake cost them
