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Detectives investigating human remains found wrapped in plastic at a Salford nature reserve believe children who were playing in the area days before the discovery could have crucial information.

The crime scene in Kersal Dale Wetlands has been lifted after a 12-day search involving more than 100 officers, an underwater search team and dogs.

Warning: This story contains details readers may find distressing

Police and forensic officers at Kersal Dale, near Salford .
Pic: PA
Image:
Police and forensic officers at Kersal Dale. Pic: PA

The “significant body part” found wrapped in clear plastic on Thursday 4 April was today confirmed by Greater Manchester Police to consist of the bottom part of the deceased’s back, buttocks and thigh.

Detectives are working to identify the victim, who they say was a man likely over the age of 40. It appears he was white, with no distinguishable marks on his body such as scars or tattoos, police added.

Officers think he had only been dead for a few days.

Police have launched a murder investigation and are appealing for witnesses, including dog walkers, who were in the area between 6am and 6pm on the day a passer-by made the grim discovery.

A trawl of footage from nearby CCTV cameras found children were playing in the area in the days leading up to the body part being found and officers believe they “could hold crucial information without even realising it”.

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Detective Chief Inspector Andy Naismith said: “Our focus from day one has remained on the victim’s family. They will be suffering the loss of a loved one, and we need to be able to give them answers so they can come to terms with their loss. Our work is far from over, this is just the beginning of a long and complex investigation.”

He added: “Although we haven’t found any more human remains in the area from our searches, we continue to work with an open mind whilst our murder investigation continues.”

The investigation cannot confirm the deceased’s nationality at this stage, the detective added.

He said: “My team have checked the victim’s DNA against the UK police database and although this does not bring up a match, there is extensive work ongoing, including trawls of various other databases, missing person records and medical records; it’s a big piece of work which will take time.”

Police and forensic officers at Kersal Dale, near Salford .
Pic: PA
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Police and forensic officers at Kersal Dale, near Salford. Pic: PA


The police also want to hear from members of the public who may have a missing family member, DCI Naismith said.

He added: “Right now, as well as wanting to speak to those who may have been in the area where the body part was found, we are also appealing to anyone who has a dad, brother, or son who they have not seen in over 12 days to come forward and speak to us.

“Our victim could be a family member, friend, co-worker or acquaintance and someone somewhere will have an idea of what has happened to him.”

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Man arrested after police officer stabbed
Man found dead at property after report of ‘ongoing incident’

A noticeboard at the entrance to Kersal Dale, near Salford, where a major investigation has been launched after human remains were found on Thursday evening. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said officers were called by a member of the public who found an "unknown item wrapped in plastic". Pic: PA
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A noticeboard at the entrance to the nature reserve. Pic: PA

Earlier in the investigation a 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and later released on bail pending further enquiries.

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Kersal Wetlands: Stuart Everett believed to be victim in Salford human remains investigation

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Kersal Wetlands: Stuart Everett believed to be victim in Salford human remains investigation

A man believed to be the victim after human remains were found in a Salford nature reserve has been named as Stuart Everett.

Police said DNA samples had been sent for urgent analysis to formally confirm the victim’s identity.

Mr Everett, 67, lived in the local area.

A major investigation started after a torso wrapped in plastic was found at Kersal Dale Wetlands on 4 April.

More remains were discovered at the weekend in the Greater Manchester area – at Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, and on Monday in an alleyway in Eccles.

Police said they were confident they all belong to the same person.

Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski, 68, and Marcin Majerkiewicz, 42, from Eccles, were yesterday charged with murder.

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They are due to appear at Manchester Crown Court this morning.

Police officers by a forensic tent at Kersal Dale.
Pic: PA
Police and forensic officers at Kersal Dale.
Pic: PA
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A torso was found at Kersal Dale on 4 April. Pics: PA

The discovery of the torso four weeks ago – consisting of the bottom of the back, buttocks and thigh – prompted a large search for other remains to try to identify the victim.

Detective Superintendent Lewis Hughes said Mr Everett’s family was being supported by specially-trained officers.

“On behalf of Stuart’s loved ones, I ask the public and the press to please respect their wishes for peace and privacy while they process this most devastating news,” he said.

“My officers and detectives, alongside additional resources from across the force, have worked tirelessly over the last three days to secure charges.”

Mr Hughes thanked the public for their help and said police would leave no stone unturned “to find answers for Stuart’s family”.

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Hainault attack: Sword-wielding man arrested near station after ‘stabbing’ multiple people and police officers

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Hainault attack: Sword-wielding man arrested near station after 'stabbing' multiple people and police officers

A critical incident has been declared near a Tube station in northeast London after reports a man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers.

The man, alleged to have been carrying a sword, crashed a vehicle into a house in Thurlow Gardens, before reportedly stabbing a number of people, police said.

The 36-year-old was alleged to have attacked members of the public and two police officers before eventually being arrested.

The Metropolitan Police were alerted to the incident shortly before 7am this morning.

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A man wielding a sword has been arrested, police said. Pic:@ell_pht

Fire and rescue crews as well as a number of ambulances were also dispatched to the scene.

The condition of those injured isn’t currently known and officers are not looking for anymore suspects.

Hainault Tube station in Ilford has been closed by police after the incident.

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Home Secretary James Cleverly said he was being updated about the incident and extended his thoughts to those affected.

Wes Streeting, the MP for Ilford North, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “A critical incident has been declared in Hainault.

“There are station and road closures in place. The police, ambulance service and fire brigade are responding.”

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A man with a sword has been arrested. Pic: @petekingdom/X

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Police said the attack did not appear to be terror related.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan added: “This must have been a terrifying incident for those concerned.

“I know the wider community will be feeling shock and alarm.

“People will want to know what has happened and will we provide more information as soon as we can.”

The Metropolitan Police previously said: “Police are at an incident in the Hainault area.

“Please follow the instructions of police officers on the ground.

“A man has been arrested.”

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Ex-cop who filmed wife having sex with lover in Screwfix car park avoids jail

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Ex-cop who filmed wife having sex with lover in Screwfix car park avoids jail

A former police constable who filmed his estranged wife having sex with a colleague in a Screwfix car park has avoided jail.

Gavin Harper, 45, was described as “obsessed” in court and was convicted of stalking his estranged wife, who was also a police officer.

He caught Stephanie Glynn, 40, having sex with her colleague Andrew McLullich, 42, in the car park of a Screwfix, in Birkenhead, Merseyside, after he placed a tracker on her vehicle.

Harper, from Liscard, Wirral, crept up to the vehicle and started filming at the window with his mobile phone.

Prosecutors said this was the culmination of a campaign of “obsessive, intrusive and unwanted behaviour” against Ms Glynn that lasted from December 2020 to February 2021.

The father of two was found guilty by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court last month of aggravated stalking, including secretly bugging Ms Glynn’s car, listening in on her conversations, and tracking her whereabouts.

On Monday, Judge David Potter sentenced Harper to two years in jail, suspended for two years.

The judge said that Harper would have faced immediate imprisonment but for the significant impact this would have had on his elderly parents and youngest son.

The court heard Harper cared for his elderly parents, who would “not be able to cope” without him, and his son would have been forced to give up his university studies if he was jailed.

Harper and Ms Glynn were in a six-year relationship before they married in 2018, having met working at Merseyside Police.

However, Ms Glynn left their family home in December 2020 after she became close with Mr McLullich – an acting inspector and formerly her supervising sergeant.

Speaking in court, Harper claimed he wanted “undeniable proof” of the affair. His intention, he said, was to pass the video to police as evidence of two serving officers having an inappropriate relationship during the COVID lockdown restrictions.

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Judge Potter told Harper: “I am sure you became obsessed to the point of criminality in stalking Stephanie Glynn to provide evidence of her affair to weaponise that against her for having that affair, and you also became determined to destroy the career of Andrew McLullich.

“In that obsession the feelings, embarrassment and pain felt by Stephanie Glynn were collateral damage.

“You were more concerned about your own feelings and a raging sense of injustice.”

The judge said the events in Screwfix car park “do no credit to any of the people involved”.

The court previously heard that Harper and Mr McLullich punched one another in the car park after he began filming them.

Suzanne Payne, defending, said Harper’s behaviour against Ms Glynn was “out of character and borne out of the circumstances at that time”.

She added that Ms Glynn had received a written warning over her conduct in the car park.

Ms Glynn, now divorced, was said to have been left “sickeningly anxious” as a result of Harper’s stalking, and told the jury she now “constantly looked over her shoulders”.

The judge issued Harper with a seven-year restraining order from contacting or approaching Ms Glynn and Mr McLullich.

Harper must also perform 200 hours of unpaid work and complete 20 days of rehabilitation.

The Crown offered no evidence over an allegation that Harper unlawfully wounded Mr McLullich in the Screwfix car park after jurors could not reach a verdict on that charge.

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