Trials bring criminal ‘entourage’ to Preston

Criminal trials taking place in Preston involving gang members gangs from Manchester and Liverpool are to blame for a rise in gun crime, says the chief constable of Lancashire Police.

Steve Finnegan said cases which are being moved to Preston Crown Court, were bringing with them “entourages” of defendants committing crime in Preston.

Preston Crown Court is relatively new and has high security so many category A trials, often involving guns, gangs and drugs are moved there from West Yorkshire, Merseyside and Manchester.

Gangs which are “taking each other on” in turf wars, are venturing to Preston with the trial, said Mr Finnegan.

“This has a significant impact on the local community,” he said. “These really big trials do bring with them their entourage and associates. And because they are so protracted people will decide – rather than to commute every day – to set up home here for weeks or months and then they get into their criminality.

“We’ve got to be really alert to that but we can`t do that unless the community talk to us.”

He added that gang culture is based on status and reputation.

“Some of the people who are taking part in that are quite young and what you see is a sort of pyramid. You see people, the ‘wannabes’ who are fairly young and not that steeped in criminality, but they want to elevate themselves.”