In a significant development following a thorough investigation, the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Stockport Division has successfully secured jail sentences for Jordan Farran and Glen O’Donnell, the individuals responsible for a harrowing robbery at a Morrisons petrol station in Bredbury on 16 September 2021.
Appearing on the 10 August 2023, at Minshull Street Crown Court, Farran and O’Donnell received a substantial sentence of four years in prison each. The verdict comes after the two men had previously pleaded guilty to the robbery in an earlier court hearing.
The incident, captured on CCTV, depicted Farran and O’Donnell entering the Morrisons petrol station armed with a golf club, their intentions clear. The pair coerced the station’s staff into relinquishing both cash and cigarettes before making a swift escape into the night.
The investigating officers, analysing the getaway footage, managed to identify the car used by the culprits as belonging to Farran. Subsequently, Farran was apprehended on 18 September 2021 under suspicion of robbery. His mobile phones were seized, and their examination unveiled crucial digital evidence.
The evidence revealed that Farran had visited O’Donnell’s residence on the night of the robbery and together they had traveled to Stockport, contradicting Farran’s initial claims that he was at home during the time of the incident. When questioned about his phone’s data, Farran could not provide a plausible explanation for its movement.
The investigative team delved further into the case by examining surrounding area CCTV footage, which showed two individuals matching the description of the defendants arriving by car in proximity to the petrol station. The men then left the vehicle and proceeded towards the station, their hoods concealing their identities.
Once inside the station, they perpetrated the armed robbery, using threats of violence to intimidate staff members, ultimately escaping with a sum of cash and approximately 200 boxes of cigarettes.
Detective Constable Shakespeare from GMP Serious Crime Division expressed admiration for the courage exhibited by witnesses who cooperated with the investigation. The dedicated efforts of the police force, involving extensive data analysis, examination of CCTV, and evidence collection, culminated in the identification, arrest, and subsequent conviction of the two defendants.
Shakespeare emphasised GMP’s unwavering commitment to combatting robbery and holding those who employ violence for personal gain accountable for their actions.
