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Dale Cregan 'knew it was his last night of freedom'

The man accused of killing former Island resident Fiona Bone and her Greater Manchester Police colleague Nicola Hughes ordered beer and cigars the night before because he "knew it was his last night of freedom", a court today heard.

Mr Nicholas Clarke QC, prosecuting, said 29-year-old Dale Cregan was the focus of a nationwide manhunt over two other murders before shooting the officers.

Mr Cregan denies killing PCs Bone and Hughes in Greater Manchester last September.

Mr Clarke told the court Dale Cregan lured the officers to a property in Hattersley, then shot Pc Bone five to eight times and Pc Hughes eight times, discharging a total of 32 bullets at them from a small Glock pistol.

This, said Mr Clarke, was the day after Mr Cregan had been drinking and smoking at the same house.

The court heard Mr Cregan drove to a police station after shooting the officers and handed himself in.

He told the counter clerk, "I'm wanted by the police and I've just done two coppers," adding he had done so because the police had been hounding his family, so he took it out on them.

The trial, at Preston Crown Court, will continue on Monday.

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