Pair jailed for over 10 years on charges connected to fatal stabbing of a Wigan borough mum

Jordan Winstanley, 28, of Butler Street in Scholes, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for aggravated burglary and Robbie Arnold, 23 of Suffolk Grove, Leigh, received a total of five years for possessing an imitation firearm and production/supply of class A, and supply of class B drugs at Bolton Crown Court.

Bethany Twist, 22 of Emerald Avenue, Leigh, received a six-month sentence suspended for 18 months, together with 70 hours community service and 20 rehabilitation days.

Her boyfriend Adam Guy, 25 of Turner Street, Leigh, received an eight-month sentence suspended for 18 months, with 120 hours community service, 15 rehabilitation days and was subject to a drug rehabilitation order.

These sentences were handed down as the result of a complex and lengthy investigation by Greater Manchester Police called Operation Alsace.

Officers were called to a home in Manchester Road, Leigh, on St Patrick's Day 2019 by the ambulance service to reports that a woman had been stabbed.

Debbie Twist, a mother of three and grandma of three, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 25-year-old man was also taken to hospital for treatment to arm injuries.

An inquest was opened in April 2019 but was then adjourned pending the outcome of criminal investigations.

It was reported that a man had been in his home on the Leigh street earlier with his pregnant girlfriend, when a gang of people, who all wore face coverings, burst int and threatened him with a firearm, which later proved to be fake.

The victim picked up a knife off the kitchen counter to protect himself, fending off blows from the group.

He received numerous injuries to his nose and hands during the attack and at this time, Debbie Twist suffered a fatal stab wound.

A 39-year-old man was arrested for murder but investigating officers released him, telling him that no further action would be taken against him.

The court heard that the son of the victim of the aggravated burglary had run up a debt of £170 for cannabis, supplied to him by the Twist family.

He himself had been attacked by Debbie Twist two days earlier, when she demanded repayment of the drugs debt.

He agreed to pay back the money he owed on March 18 2019.

On March 17, Twist, her son and daughter, and other friends Guy and Arnold all met at a local pub for drinks.

It was on their walk back home that she pointed out the victim’s address and identified him as the father of the man who owed her money.

At this point, the debt had been reduced to £70.

She asked her son and Robbie to knock on the door and ask for the return of the money.

At 6pm that evening, the group returned and when they received no response from knocking, they all made their way to the back of the property and burst in.

When police searched the Manchester Road address, they recovered a plastic bag containing a claw hammer and a machete.

A search of Arnold’s home recovered a paintball gun, which had also been used in the attack.

Det Ch Insp Wes Knights of the Major Incident Team said: “We are extremely pleased with today’s results, which reflect the severity of this attack.

“This has been a very lengthy and complex investigation owing to the circumstances, whereby, unusually someone has tragically lost their life during the commission of a crime which cannot be forgotten.

“We are grateful to the victim and his family for all the support they have given us during our investigation, in what can only be described as an extremely distressing time for them.

“I would also like to thank the Crown Prosecution Service for their assistance in this case which has presented many challenges – at the forefront, has been an ethical and transparent investigation interrogating all facets of this tragedy.

“The overriding message from these unfolding events being that any form of violent offending will always be pursued relentlessly by the Greater Manchester Police to prevent any further offending and protect the public.

“The evidence against these four individuals was overwhelming and I would like to thank my Major Incident Team for all of their hard work in securing these convictions.”