Four teens have been sentenced for a harrowing attack that saw them strip a young boy of his clothes before assaulting him.
The group of 17-year-old boys appeared before Manchester Crown Court on Monday, where the details of the ‘terrifying’ incident were recounted and the teenagers sentenced to 12 months each in a youth detention centre.
They will then follow a strict programme managed by the youth offending team on release.
The judge noted that the offenders, who pleaded guilty, would have faced around seven years in prison if they had been sentenced as adults.
The 17-year-old victim was left with injuries that required hospital treatment after the attack in an alleyway just off Featherstall Road North, Oldham, on the 21 June 2022.
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Featherstall Road North, Oldham. Credit: Google Maps
GMP’s Oldham CID established that the offenders had planned the attack and carried weapons to the scene.
Oldham’s Chief Superintendent Chris Bowen, said: “This attack in July was followed by several incidents of disorder in the Oldham area, including people’s homes and businesses being damaged.
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“In response, GMP worked around the clock with assistance from our partner agencies and local community leaders to prevent any further disorder and to make sure these teenagers were brought to justice.
“This was a premeditated and harrowing attack of a young boy who was stripped of his clothes before being badly assaulted by a group of people, which must have been terrifying. Our investigation team worked hard to identify those involved and bring them into custody.
“It is important to note that in the judges summing up of the case, he stated that the offenders would have likely received around seven years each in prison if they had been sentenced as adults, showing the severity of the incident.
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“I hope they reflect upon their behaviour while they are away from home for the next year and use the time to better themselves. We will not tolerate this type of violent crime in our local community.”
Featured image: Google Maps
Crime
Man named and charged in relation to Manchester van and tram crash that killed three-year-old girl
Emily Sergeant
A man has been named and charged after a van and a tram collided in Manchester city centre this past weekend.
It comes after emergency services responded to reports of a road traffic collision involving a tram and a van in Mosley Street in Manchester city centre at around 10am this past Saturday (22 February), where it was found that the van collided with the tram, forcing the van onto the pavement where it collided with a pedestrian.
The pedestrian, a three-year-old girl, was rushed to hospital, but despite the best efforts of all involved, sadly passed away from her injuries.
A scene remained in place around the Mosley Street, Booth Street, and Nicholas Street areas whilst officers conducted their investigations over the weekend.
The scene of the incident on Mosley Street in Manchester city centre / Credit: The Manc Group
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) had previously issued a widespread public appeal to find the driver of the van after he fled the scene shortly after, and officers had been following ‘several lines of enquiry’ to locate him.
It was reported that the suspect was ‘identified’ on Monday morning (24 February), and now, GMP has named the driver as Rawal Rehman, of Lambton Road in Manchester.
The 35-year-old has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and will appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court today (26 February).
#CHARGED | Rawal Rehman (28/11/89) of Lambton Road, Manchester, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
The charge relates to the death of three-year-old Louisa (Lulu) Palmisano following a collision in Manchester city centre.
The little girl who lost her life in the tragic incident was named Louisa (Lulu) Palmisano.
Her family wrote in a heartbreaking tribute to her yesterday: “Louisa was the sweetest, kindest, and most generous little girl. She was full of creativity and joy, and she absolutely loved going to nursery every day.
“Her absence has left a devastating void in our family – she was our only child, our whole world. We were simply enjoying a happy family day out in Manchester when this unimaginable tragedy struck. In an instant, our lives were shattered beyond repair.
“The pain of losing her is unbearable, and we miss her more than words can ever express.”
Featured Image – GMP
Crime
Four Just Stop Oil protesters found guilty of conspiracy to cause disruption at Manchester Airport
Emily Sergeant
Four Just Stop Oil protesters have been found guilty of conspiracy to intentionally cause public nuisance at Manchester Airport.
Indigo Rumbelow, Leanorah Ward, Margaret Reid, and Daniel Knorr each appeared at Manchester Minshull Crown Court last Friday (21 February) where they were found guilty after being arrested by officers from Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Specialist Operations Branch and Serious Crime Division during the early hours of the morning last August.
The four defendants were detained while walking along South Park Road in Gatley, as they were making their way to Manchester Airport.
According to GMP, they were equipped with heavy duty bolt cutters, angle grinders, glue, sand, Just Stop Oil high visibility vests, and a leaflet containing instructions to follow when interacting with police.
One of the defendants, Leanorah Ward, was also found in possession of a handwritten detailing the motive of the group – which was to enter the airfield of Manchester Airport, before contacting the police to alert them of their activity.
Four Just Stop Oil protestors have been found guilty of conspiracy to intentionally cause a public nuisance following GMP investigation.
In August 2024, we detained 4 people close to Manchester Airport who were equipped with heavy duty bolt cutters, angle grinders, glue & sand. pic.twitter.com/AE6vDedtnZ
They were planning to stick themselves to the airfield taxiway using the glue and sand, with one main goal – to disrupt airport activity and gain media attention.
GMP says the arrests managed to ‘prevent large-scale disruption’ at Manchester Airport, amid a summer of chaos threatened by Just Stop Oil, a result of extensive work and national coordination.
“This was a planned and targeted attack against one of the country’s busiest airports which could have caused significant disruption,” explained Natalie Mackenzie, who is the District Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West.
“Their plan displayed a clear disregard for members of the public using the airport at the height of summer.
Daisy Jackson -
1st December 2022 
