Browse Sections

• Education
• Special reports

Stab victim Coghlan recovering

Nicola Dowling
7/ 1/2008

A MAN who was acquitted after being accused of two gangland murders remains in hospital after being stabbed in a town centre pub.

Arran Coghlan - who was previously named in court as a drugs boss - was stabbed in the head, face and back in the frenzied attack in Cobdens in Stockport. He claims he was an innocent bystander who attempted to break up a fight.

Initially, doctors described his injuries as critical, but his condition has stabilised following surgery.

Two others injured as part of the same incident in the early hours of New Year's Day also continue to be treated in hospital.

The Alderley Edge man first hit the headlines when he was cleared of murdering Stockport `Mr Big', Chris Little, in the late 1990s.

Little was shot dead at the wheel of his Mercedes in Marple in July 1994. In 2001, he was arrested again on suspicion of murdering David Barnshaw, who was kidnapped and forced to drink petrol before being burned alive in the back of his own car on an industrial estate in Stockport.

During the opening of the trial, Arran Coghlan was described as controlling the supply of drugs in Stockport, an allegation he has denied and stresses he has never been convicted of any drug offences.

The case against him and others collapsed in 2003 when it emerged that police had failed to pass on important information about another possible suspect for the killing, leading to criticism of the investigation by the trial judge.

Mr Coghlan is pursuing court action against the police as a result.

Most recent 2 of 2 user comments