John Scheerhout

John Scheerhout shows in his reporting how crime reporting can speak for people on the edge - and for the public. Whether it's addressing the conditions faced by prisoners and the realities faced by people working in the penal system, or a family fighting for justice for the son they lost, John deploys his investigative nous, extensive contacts, and sensitive interviewing to explore the complexities of the criminal justice system for Greater Manchester's readers. As the M.E.N's long-standing crime reporter, John spent six months working on his expose of the drug use, violence and 'culture of lawlessness' inside Salford's troubled, privately-run Forest Bank Prison, speaking to inmates, staff - and the family of a prisoner who died - about conditions inside the jail. The online version of his story was viewed more than 43,000 times, with each reader spending an average 94 seconds on the investigation. His story prompted MP Rebecca Long-Bailey to write to the government to demand an 'urgent review' - and the cancellation of Sodexo's £1bn contract which runs out in 2025. John also exclusively revealed that paedophile bus driver Darren Vickers, who murdered an eight-year-old schoolboy, Jamie Lavis, was up for parole after spending 25 years behind bars. He spoke to a police officer involved in the original investigation who said Vickers was so dangerous he should never be released. A few months later the Parole Board turned down his bid for freedom, John also revealed exclusively. John's final piece drew on years of reporting the tragic case of Yousef Makki, who was stabbed to death aged 17 in 2019. His long-read lays bare the heart-breaking but ultimately successful fight for justice for the Makki family who - after a criminal trial, two inquests and a judicial review - finally got what they deserved, a ruling from a coroner who found Yousef had been unlawfully killed by his friend Joshua Molnar. Yousef's sister Jade, in a testimonial, praised John for his 'fair and compassionate' reporting which has given the public 'a deeper understanding of what happened'