'Boiling point': How Dominic Noonan organised Manchester's prisoners before Strangeways riots
On April 1, 1990 the longest and bloodiest prison riot in British history exploded at Strangeways. The disturbance lasted 25 days, left two men dead and 194 injured and resulted in sweeping changes to the penal system.
The group soon gathered support, with Noonan, referring to himself as 'Chief of the PLA', recruiting prisoners to the cause. Members began to sign PLA at the bottom of their letters and graffiti the acronym in cells. Noonan's removal led to claims the PLA helped orchestrate the riot. Allison and Jameson insist there was 'no evidence' to support that theory."[Noonan's] removal to Hull certainly demonstrates that the authorities were fully aware that Strangeways was at boiling point and wanted to rid themselves of someone they thought would capitalise on the situation," they write. But while Noonan may not have helped plan the riot, he certainly supported it and the men involved.
But it wouldn't be long before Noonan was back behind bars. Dominic and his brothers Damien and Desmond rose to prominence by initially specialising in armed robbery, before taking over the doors of the city's nightclubs, controlling who could sell drugs in them. In the space of just eight months the empire which had taken years to build up began to crumble. In 2004 Damien was killed, aged 37, in a motorcycle accident while on holiday in the Dominican Republic. Then Dessie, by this point an alcoholic crack addict, was stabbed to death by a crack dealer known as Yardie Derek in Chorlton in March 2005.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
In pictures: Glasgow school kids enjoy storytelling sessionsMore than 270 youngsters took part in storytelling sessions organised by the shopping centre.
Read more »
Rise of the Far Right saw 15,000 protestors march through ManchesterThis month marked 45-years since the Northern Carnival Against the Nazis took place in Manchester
Read more »
The arrogant boast of Peter Farquhar's remorseless killerPeter Field murdered former Manchester Grammar School teacher Peter Farquhar for his house and money
Read more »
A deadly sex party drug is exploding in Manchester'Two to three years ago, there's probably only two to three people supplying it in the area. I currently have on my phone, 23 dealers in Manchester'
Read more »
When rain is set to stop in Manchester as yellow weather warning issuedIt's going to stay wet this weekend
Read more »