A man described as being a ‘dangerous sexual predator’ who raped lone women at knifepoint in Manchester city centre has been jailed for life.
It comes after a thorough investigation by Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) dedicated Longsight Criminal Investigation Department.
In the early hours of the morning on Tuesday 31 January 2024, GMP received a 999 call from a victim stating that she had been raped at knife point on Mancunian Way, in Manchester city centre, and as police attended the scene, they were also approached by a second victim who had also been raped at knife point too.
It didn’t end there though, as throughout that same day, two more reports of a rape and an attempted rape at knife point, also in the same location, were reported.
But, with extensive witness statements and descriptions of the offender, the suspect was identified as Stuart Thomson from Stockport, and an urgent manhunt was subsequently launched to find him.
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/ Credit: GMP
Investigating detectives trawled CCTV to build a picture of his movements in the lead up to the attacks.
On several occasions, Thomson was captured on CCTV wearing distinctive items of clothing, including a hoodie with a grey insert on the back, a coat with green lining, a wool hat, and a high vis style t-shirt, and at the scene, police also recovered a wool hat – which was mentioned in one of the victim statements.
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The hat was seized for forensics, and while at first it came back matching someone who did not match the description of our offender, police went to the address to conduct enquiries, and upon attending found Thomson wearing the distinctive green jacket that had been identified during the CCTV trawls.
Thomson was arrested at the scene, and several other items of clothing relating to the violent offences were seized.
#JAILED | Stuart Thomson (15/03/1990) of Buxton Road, Stockport, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of three counts of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, three counts of threatening another with a bladed article, and possession of a bladed article pic.twitter.com/ESSsJBfO49
Despite answering “no comment” to every question put to him by detectives, and pleading ‘not guilty’ last during a 10-day trial at Manchester Crown Court, a jury found 34-year-old Thomson guilty of three counts of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, three counts of threatening another with a bladed article, and possession of a bladed article.
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He was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years.
Speaking following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Jennifer Savazzi, from GMP’s Longsight Criminal Investigations Department, commented: “It’s clear that Stuart Thomson is a dangerous sexual predator. He forcibly imposed himself upon these women in a violent and callous way with no consideration for the damage he was doing to them.
“By not accepting responsibility, Thomson forced [his victims] to relive their pain throughout this trial.
“The harm offenders like Thomson cause are incalculable, but I hope this result goes some way in reassuring our victims, survivors, and members of the public that a dangerous man is off our streets, and i welcome this sentence today.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Even more of the Gay Village will be turned into outdoor seating this summer
Daisy Jackson
The Gay Village is set to get even more outdoor seating this summer, with the council moving to partially close several key streets to traffic.
The news lands mid-heatwave when thousands of Mancs are clamouring for a seat in the nearest beer garden or cafe terrace – with a huge proportion of those flocking to Canal Street.
Now, plans have been revealed to bring ‘a touch of cafe culture’ to the Gay Village, with even more outdoor seating space created for businesses in the area.
Initially running as a trial this summer, it will mean new terraces for New York New York, The Goose and The Eagle on Bloom Street, plus more locations on Richmond Street.
Manchester City Council has said that similar schemes on Thomas Street and Stevenson Square have been hugely popular with both punters and businesses, especially during the summer months, and can give local operators a huge boost.
So now it’s time for this thriving corner of the city to get the same treatment, as part of the ongoing work through the Gay Village Action Plan identified the need for more outdoor seating areas.
The two locations which will have the changes will be Bloom Street, between Abingdon Street and Chorlton Street; and Richmond Street, between Sackville Street and Chorlton Street.
In order to put these protected spaces into effect, some changes to the existing road network will be made:
Bloom Street becomes one-way from Chorlton Street towards Princess Street
Richmond Street is closed to through traffic between Chorlton Street and Sackville Street.
The scheme will initially run on a trial basis from 10 July throughout the summer to evaluate if it could be a viable long-term solution.
During this, plans will also be in place to ensure that deliveries and loading can go about unhindered, as well as daily waste collection and access for residents.
Councillor Mandie Shilton Godwin, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, said: “The Gay Village is one of our most precious communities. For decades the queer community has been able to call this neighbourhood its own, establishing a long and proud place in the history of the fight against bigotry and discrimination.
“Needless to say, it’s one of the most-visited places in Manchester and sees thousands of people tread its cobbled streets every year. Because of that we’re always looking at how we, as its custodians, can continue to support its legacy and ensure that it meets the needs of people who live and work there.
“We’re excited to be trialling additional outdoor seating for these streets, and we hope to bring the same success that we’ve seen in the Northern Quarter after putting similar schemes in place.
“But, above all this has to work for everyone, so I would urge people to take part in this consultation and help shape the future of the Gay Village.”
Fire service urges Greater Manchester public to ‘act responsibly’ as heatwave continues
Emily Sergeant
People across Greater Manchester and beyond are being urged by the fire service to ‘act responsibly’ as the heatwave continues this week.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) has issued an urgent plea residents and visitors to take extra care on moorland and in rural areas as part of the annual ‘Be Moor Aware’ campaign – which is aimed at preventing wildfires and reducing the impact they have.
GMFRS has issued the plea alongside its partners at United Utilities, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), neighbouring fire and rescue services, and local councils.
It comes as Amber Extreme Heat warnings and heat-health alerts have been issued by the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) through to Thursday this week – with temperatures widely exceeding 35°C nationwide, and in some areas – particularly on the south coast – potentially even reaching 38°C.
Heatwave conditions in the UK are met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with temperature values meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold for that location.
The fire service urges the Greater Manchester public to ‘act responsibly’ as the heatwave continues / Credit: Mick Garrett (via Geograph)
It does seem, however, that northern parts of the country – especially the North West – are missing most of the extremely hot conditions, with current forecasts indicating peak temperatures of 33°C.
But this doesn’t stop the wildfire risk, and the fire service is warning that prolonged periods of dryness but the countryside in danger.
GMFRS data shows there have been 83 wildfires across Greater Manchester since 2021, including a significant rise in 2025, when 38 incidents were record, and there has already been six wildfires recorded in 2026.
“Wildfires can spread rapidly, especially during warm and dry weather, putting lives, wildlife and property at risk,” explained GMFRS Wildfire Lead, Adrian Taylor.
“Many of these fires are preventable, and we’re asking everyone to take responsibility when visiting our moorland areas. Small actions, such as not using disposable barbecues and taking litter home, can make a huge difference in preventing devastating fires.”
Emily Sergeant -
20th January 2025 
