Greater Manchester Police have released CCTV of a vehicle as they seek to identify a man believed to be behind three attempted kidnappings.
Police responded to reports of a teenage girl being approached by a male at a bus stop in Salford on Monday 21 November at around 6.15pm – he then tried to physically get her to go in his car.
The vehicle in question is a black Vauxhall Astra hatchback, which notably has one silver wing mirror on the driver’s side.
The man made advances to the girl, 15, between the two roundabouts on Monton Green.
The car that police are looking for. Credit: GMP
The vehicle and its driver may be linked to two similar incidents in other parts of Salford, which involved two more girls aged 13 and 15.
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Detectives are now appealing for the public’s help in identifying the driver of the vehicle and urging the man to come forward.
You can watch the CCTV here:
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The first clip is from Rocky Lane, the second from Monton Road and third from Folly Lane/Birch Road junction.
Operation Wraith has been set up with dedicated detectives investigating the offences.
Detectives are now keen to speak to anyone who may have dashcam footage matching the following locations and times:
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Rocky Lane/Monton Green/Monton High Street on Monday 21 November 2022 between 6-7pm.
Mossfield Road/Ackworth Road, Swinton on Monday 21 November 2022 between 8-9am.
Liverpool Street, Salford between Fitzwarren Street and Albion Way on Wednesday 16 November 2022 between 7:45-8:20pm.
They are requesting that you email [email protected] with your name and contact number and will email you back with instructions to upload your footage.
Detective Inspector Chris Horsfield from the Salford Division said: “The victims have been left extremely shaken up by this encounter and it’s very important that we get this man identified and off the streets as soon as possible.
“We believe that the man we want to speak to may have been driving a dark-coloured hatchback car, but we need to review dashcam footage to identify the make, model and registration plate.
“We are appealing to drivers in the areas on the dates and times above to please submit their dashcam footage to us, so our specialised officers can go through and analyse it.
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“You can contact us on 0161 856 8361 (voicemail facility), by dialling 101 or using the LiveChat function on our website www.gmp.police.uk, quoting log number 2786 of 21/11/22.”
Featured image: GMP
News
Beloved Manchester artist Stanley Chow slams Conservative Party for using his artwork
Daisy Jackson
Celebrated local artist Stanley Chow has lashed out at the Conservative Party.
The illustrator, who is famed for his cartoon portraits of famous faces, has discovered that the political party have been using his Andy Burnham illustration at their party conference.
Publicly addressing the usage, Stanley said he would be ‘seeking legal advice’.
He shared a photo of his Andy Burnham portrait that has been placed onto a water bottle with the slogan ‘Bottler Burnham’.
The label also says: “0% strength. Bottled under pressure from Badenoch.”
In another photo, Stanley Chow revealed that the Tory party conference has used his Andy Burnham portrait on pots of sweets, too.
This time, they say: “Andy Panders’ people pleaser pick n mix. Free sweets for everyone, it will only cost you higher taxes.”
Stanley wrote: “It seems like @conservatives have been using my artwork without my permission at their conference party…
“Regardless of whatever your political allegiances are, it’s still copyright infringement… I’ll be seeking legal advice.”
Backing him up in the comments are a number of other local artists, including Mancsy, who said: “As well as the copyright infringement, I expect more of political parties than making gags at the expense of the opposition. It’s alarming on multiple levels.”
Someone else wrote: “Imagine calling a prime minister a people pleaser like it’s an insult… when it’s their job.”
Another person said: “How does that even happen?! Layers of people signing off who go, ‘Sure, let’s not worry about copyright’ (people who’ve presumably never step foot in MCR and seen your artwork, like EVERYWHERE). Drag em, babe. Copyright and reputation, surely.”
Manchester man jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of woman on train
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of a woman on board a train to Manchester.
Following an extensive British Transport Police (BTP) investigation, Nisan Fernando Kurukulasuriya, of Troutbeck Road in Altrincham, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court last month.
At the trail last month, the court heard how, on Monday 20 April 2026, 39-year-old Kurukulasuriya was on a train from Stoke to Manchester and sat next to a woman he didn’t know, who was on the phone.
He then sexually assaulted her repeatedly, doing so again even after being pushed away by the woman.
The woman then noticed that Kurukulasuriya had exposed himself and was masturbating in front of her. She shouted at him, and in response, he stood up and ran away to leave the train – but the woman immediately got up to report the incident to staff.
When the train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly, the woman alerted a member of staff while Kurukulasuriya was stood only a few meters away, and BTP were subsequently called straight away.
Police quickly attended and arrested Kurukulasuriya.
When police interviewed him, Kurukulasuriya showed no remorse for his actions and refused to answer any questions put to him.
After pleading guilty to Sexual Assault and Outraging Public Decency at a previous court hearing, Kurukulasuriya was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, and was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which will bar him from sitting next to any woman he doesn’t know on public transport, as well as being put on thensex offenders register for 10 years.
BTP Detective Sergeant, Mark Haviland, called Kurukulasuriya a ‘despicable man’ who targeted a woman travelling alone ‘for his own sick sexual gratification’.
Daisy Jackson -
28th November 2022 
