A 17-year-old from Bolton has been jailed for life for the murder of another teenager outside a busy Bury shopping centre last year.
King Sibanda, from Kearsley in Bolton, appeared in Manchester Crown Court yesterday (23 February), and was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of possession of a bladed article and the murder of Abdikarim Ahmed back in March 2022.
18-year-old Abdikarim was stabbed outside the Millgate Shopping Centre in Bury on Friday 11 March 2022.
Following the attack, Abdikarim – who was described as “loving and caring” by his family in an emotional tribute released at the time – sought help in a nearby bar and was given first aid by staff, but tragically passed away as a result of his injuries after being taken to hospital.
According to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) a post-mortem revealed the cause of Abdikarim’s death was a large stab wound to the left side of his chest.
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Pathologists said the would “would have taken considerable force to inflict”.
Sibanda will serve a minimum of 15 years behind bars for the murder of Abdikarim, as well as being sentenced to a further 12 months for the possession of a bladed article offence – with judges ordering the sentences were to run concurrently.
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GMP has now stressed that “knives will not be tolerated” and people should “think very carefully about the consequences” of carrying a knife in a fresh appeal to the public.
“This was a senseless attack that resulted in another life lost to knife crime,” said Detective Sergeant Andrew Middleton of GMP’s Major Incident Team.
“Knives will not be tolerated on the streets of Greater Manchester and GMP will continue to actively pursue those involved in knife crime to make our communities safer.
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“There are no positives to carrying a knife and I would urge anyone who might be carrying a knife or thinking of carrying a knife to think very carefully about the consequences. If you have concerns that someone you know or care about is carrying or hiding a knife, please talk to them about the consequences.”
18-year-old Abdikarim Ahmed was stabbed to death in March 2022 / Credit: GMP
The force urged people report anyone carrying a knife “for their safety and for the safety of everyone else”, and explained that help is available via CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111, or through visiting the Fearless campaign website.
You can also report on the GMP website, call 101, or even dial 999 in the event of an emergency.
“The verdict cannot bring Abdikarim back, but I hope it brings some reassurance to know that the offender is behind bars and facing justice for his actions which have brought pain and suffering to a loving family,” DS Middleton concluded.
Featured Image – GMP
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Family pay tribute to ‘fun-loving’ son who died in Wythenshawe as man charged with murder
Emily Sergeant
The family of a man who died in Wythenshawe last week have now paid a touching tribute to him.
It comes after at around 11:35pm last Thursday (5 February), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called out to reports of an incident on Southwick Road in the Northern Moor area of Wythenshawe, and when emergency services attended the scene, they discovered a man in his 20s had been ‘seriously injured’.
Despite the best efforts of everyone involved, the man sadly at the scene.
The victim has since been formally identified as Drew McCormick, who was aged 29, and another man was also subsequently arrested.
19-year-old Lewis Morley, of Ryecroft Grove in Manchester, was charged with murder and has been remanded to next appear at Manchester Crown Square Court on Tuesday 10 March 2026.
A police investigation into the incident is now being run by GMP’s Major Incident Team (MIT) and enquiries are ongoing.
In the meantime, Drew’s family have paid tribute: “There are just not enough words to describe Drew and the impact he had on many lives. He was a fun-loving person that brought laughter and joy to the world with his big bright smile and loud laugh.
“Drew had the biggest heart and would do anything for those he loved. He loved his family deeply even more than TikTok.
“He has left a huge hole in our hearts, and our lives will never be the same. We love you Drew and will keep you in our hearts forever.”
With investigations ongoing, anyone who has any information or footage in relation to the incident that may assist GMP with its enquiries is urged to report them via the dedicated major incident portal here.
Featured Image – GMP
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Plans officially submitted for ‘vibrant’ new food hall in Wythenshawe
Emily Sergeant
Are you feeling hungry? Good, because a new food hall is on the horizon.
That’s right – plans to transform Wythenshawe Civic have taken another exciting leap forward this week, as Manchester City Council and placemaker Muse have submitted a planning application to bring a brand-new food hall to the town.
Set to be housed within the three units next to the former Peacocks store – which has now been demolished – the new food hall will become a ‘vibrant’ destination for independent and local food vendors to attract people with ‘delicious and diverse’ offerings.
Developers also hope the new food hall will keep the suburban Manchester town’s centre ‘bustling’ throughout the day and into the evening.
The announcement that the new food hall is in the works comes as part of the already-announced plans for Wythenshawe Civic – with work to soon begin on everything from the public realm, and outside space, to the vacant office space above the existing Iceland-store, which will also be transformed into modern new workspace to support local start-ups and bring new jobs into the town centre.
Developers also recently submitted three separate applications to create 422 new affordable homes for social rent across three locations in the town centre.
“Listening to local people over the last year and more, we know that Wythenshawe residents want more from their town centre – more things to do, opportunities to spend time in Civic and night time attractions that give the area a lift and attract visitors,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“This is the drive behind the Culture Hub. A place for local people with an interest in the arts to take part in creative activities, see a show or enjoy the cinema space – right in the heart of their community.
“This is another exciting chapter in the transformation of Wythenshawe Town Centre.”
Joel Chandler, who is the Senior Development Manager at Muse, added that developers are ‘moving at pace’ with plans to give the town centre the ‘regeneration it deserves’.
“The food hall will be a hive for a range of local outlets and will provide new spaces for the community to spend time in and give the town’s nighttime economy a major boost.”
Emily Sergeant -
24th February 2023 
