STORY
Lee Edwards and Craig Forshaw have each been sentenced to 18 months in prison after burgling a fish and chip shop and the home above it in Hindley while the family attended a funeral. The two men were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court after targeting the property on 26 June 2026, the day of owner Brian Warburton’s funeral.
The premises were ransacked and £5,000, morphine and ten older mobile phones were stolen. The phones contained photographs, videos and recordings of Mr Warburton and the family, including memories of his partner Denise’s only son, a serving soldier who had been killed. In a victim impact statement, Denise said the offenders had taken memories, security and peace from the family at an exceptionally vulnerable time.
Greater Manchester Police said CCTV footage and witness statements identifying Edwards and Forshaw formed part of the evidence gathered during the investigation. Constable Richard Kelsall described the burglary as a despicable act and said he hoped the sentences would help the family rebuild their lives. The force reported that burglaries across the Wigan district had fallen by 35 per cent during the previous year.