Rise of ruthless Cheetham Hill Gang infamous for military-style planning and shotgun-wielding raids
MANCHESTER’S feared Cheetham Hill Gang became infamous for their use of shotguns and military style raids across the city.
The gang, also known as the Hillbillies, hit the headlines in the 1980s and 90s as they fought out a long running feud with rivals from Moss Side.
Cheetham Hill was just to the north of the city centre while Moss Side lay to the south. Many of the gang members were related and knew each other but that counted for little in a drug war.
The dispute was the result of violent criminals from Cheetham Hill attempting to take over Moss Side’s lucrative drug economy.
The notorious Doddington crew from Moss Side then started to fight back.
But when Moss Side’s Gooch Gang continued to do business with criminals from Cheetham Hill, it led to a major fall out between the Gooch and Doddington and more violence.
At one point in the 1990s Paul Massey, said to be Salford’s Mr Big, organised peace talks in a Manchester pub.
The truth was that Cheetham Hill’s criminal community had always been anarchic, shooting security guards during heists and refusing to respect gang bosses from rival patches.
Like their contemporaries from nearby Salford, the Cheetham Hill firm established a reputation as ‘blaggers’ targeting banks and post offices in the 1980s.
White Tony
The firm also generated its cast of colourful characters over the years, including White Tony Johnson, who had his own tragic background.
Johnson was raised by grandmother Winnie Bennett, whose son Keith had been murdered by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. The house he grew up in had a shrine to Bennett, whose body was never recovered from the moors.
While his grandmother was consumed with grief Tony set about making a name for himself as a gangster.
The Cheetham Hill crew liked his bravado and soon gave him a job driving a gang leader around in a top of the range Cosworth.
He was also at the front of the Hillbillies war with Moss Side, and was reported to be a suspect in the murder of Anthony ‘Scratch’ Gardner.
Johnson was a gangster during the so called Madchester era when nightclubs like the Hacienda attracted footballers and popstars.
Johnson was known for swaggering into nightclubs carrying a gun, threatening to kill doormen and refusing to pay admission fees.
But two months after Johnson is said to have taken part in an armed robbery in Oldham when gunmen stole hundreds of thousands of pounds, he was shot dead outside a Cheetham Hill pub.
South Manchester gang boss Dessie Noonan was one of several men charged with murder, but the prosecution fell apart at Manchester Crown Court.
Blood brothers
The Adetero brothers were a major force within the Cheethall Hill crime gang in the 90s.
David and Ade Adetero formed a robbery gang with a group of lads that had grown up with . It was a tight knit crew that did not trust outsiders.
The blaggers managed to pull off an astonishing 14 robberies in just two years across the north west.
In December 1996 they were caught on camera dragging a security guard up and down the aisles of a Morrisons while they shot up the supermarket as shoppers ran in terror.
In their final job on industrial estate in Stockport ended in mayhem when a lorry driver witnessed a security guard being attacked.
The have-a-hero drove his cement mixer straight at the gangster’s car. One of the crew fired a shot at the cab, shooting the driver in the face. The hero survived but had to undergo major surgery.
In June 1998, David was jailed for twenty-six years and his brother Ade for fifteen years.
The King of the Hill
Stephen Akinyemi roared around the streets of Manchester in a silver Porsche with a personalised number plate “AKI”.
Akinyemi , from Cheetham Hill, had been a suspect in the shooting of Chinada Iheagwara, who was murdered in 2002. Iheagwara was also known to police , with a conviction for armed robbery.
Akinyemi was a well known figure in Manchester bars and clubs, and controlled security at several doors across the city.
In February 2010 Akinyemi went to visit the Alderley Edge home of Stockport businessman Arran Coghlan.
Mr Coghlan had already been acquitted of involvement in two gangland murders. Akie arrived at Mr Coghlan’s converted chapel wearing a body armour and a stab-proof vest.
The two men are said to have had a fight during which Akie died. Mr Coghlan was charged with murder after calling police who found Akinyemi dead with gunshot and stab wounds..
Mr Coghlan insisted he acted in self-defence in a tussle after Akinyemi aimed a a gun at him. The murder charges were later dropped.
An inquest the following February at Warrington Coroner’s Court delivered an open verdict.
A second inquest was held in 2017 where the coroner gave a narrative verdict, ruling Mr Coghlan had been “acting reasonably to defend himself”.
Counterfeit Street
In recent years Bury New Road in Cheetham Hill became known as the country’s capital for bootleg goods.
Christened ‘Counterfeit Street’ police from the across the country carried out raids in shops dotted along the main road.
The warren of shops specialised in fake designed gear, selling knock off Nike trainers and counterfeit Manchester United merchandise.
One man who who knows the area said: “Look mate it’s Cheetham Hill not the Cotswolds. You had to crack on and make a few quid. Yes a few rules were broken but so what.”
Last year police launched a wave of raids in the area, seizing over 1000 tonnes of counterfeit and shutting down 200 shops. Cops also recovered around £520,000 in cash.
Cops say their efforts have smashed the trade in fake goods, and reduced violent crime in the area by 50%.
Last year police launched a wave of raids in the area, seizing over 1000 tonnes of counterfeit and shutting down 200 shops. Cops also recovered around £520,000 in cash.
Cops say their efforts have smashed the trade in fake goods, and reduced violent crime in the area by 50%.
Speaking about the raids, Greater Manchester Police Detective Sergeant Matt Donnelly said the “criminals” operating in the area “are so brazen”.
He continued: “The minute they think they spot an opening, they’re back up and running as though it’s business as usual.
“We’re here to show them that this isn’t the case, and we will not stop until these illegitimate shops are eradicated and those responsible are locked up.”