News
Police urgently appeal following triple stabbing in Manchester city centre
Do you have any information?
Police are urgently appealing for information following a triple stabbing in Manchester city centre over the weekend.
The appeal comes after Greater Manchester Police (GMP) was called to a disturbance in Piccadilly Gardens at around 11:45pm this past Saturday night (23 November), and when officers arrived on the scene, they found two teenagers, aged 17 and 18, seriously injured with stab wounds.
Police were then later notified that a 20-year-old man presented at hospital with a stab wound to the chest, and this was believed to have been sustained during this same incident.
Paramedics rushed the two teenagers to hospital, where they are currently still receiving treatment for their injuries, however none of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening at this time.
In an attempt to gain more understanding of the situation and what happened, an urgent police appeal has now been issued.
“We are investigating an incident that occurred in Manchester city centre last night, which led to three people in hospital with serious injuries,” explained Detective Chief Inspector Michelle Buchanan, from GMP’s city centre division.
“Officers are reviewing CCTV footage and forensic enquiries are being carried out.
“We are making good process in this early stage and are appealing to anyone who was in the vicinity of Piccadilly Gardens and may have witnessed an altercation involving a group of males yesterday just after 11pm to please come forward and speak with us.
“I also urge people who were in the area to check their mobile phones, or CCTV to see if they may have captured any footage that could be useful to our investigation, no matter how small, as any information may help us.”
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Anyone with any information is asked to ring police 101, or speak with the investigating team directly on 0161 856 4227, quoting log 3463 of 23/11/2024.
Information can also be submitted anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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.”
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Featured image: The Manc Group
News
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.
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BTP Detective Sergeant, Mark Haviland, called Kurukulasuriya a ‘despicable man’ who targeted a woman travelling alone ‘for his own sick sexual gratification’.
Featured Image – BTP
Emily Sergeant -
25th November 2024 
