A man from Rochdale has been handed a lengthy jail sentence after killing another man at a New Year’s Eve house party.
Hassan Suliman, of Rothesay Terrace in Rochdale, appeared at Manchester Crown Court last week after previously being found guilty of the manslaughter.
His sentencing comes after Greater Manchester Police (GMP) responded to reports of a disturbance on Essex Street in Rochdale in the early hours of New Year’s Day (1 January 2025), and upon arrival, officers found a man with multiple stab wounds.
Despite the best efforts of all emergency service workers, the man was sadly pronounced dead at hospital soon after.
The victim was later named as 38-year-old Alberto Ursu.
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GMP’s Major Incident Team launched an investigation immediately after, which subsequently revealed that Hassan Suliman had been involved in a confrontation with Mr Ursu – which both of the men were left injured during.
#JAILED | A man has been jailed following the death of a man after a New Year's party in Rochdale.
Suliman fled the scene following the confrontation, but was found by officers collapsed nearby a short while after.
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Forensic analysis by officers later linked the weapons to both Suliman and Mr Ursu.
Following a six-week trial at Manchester Crown Court in September, Suliman was convicted of manslaughter, but was found not guilty of all other charges, and then last Friday (14 November), he was sentenced to 16 years – ordered to serve a minimum of 13 years in prison, with a further three years on licence.
Speaking following Suliman’s sentencing last week, Detective Sergeant Helen Hitchen, from GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “This was meant to be a happy night celebrating the New Year, but sadly ended in the tragic loss of a life.
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“This case just goes to show the devastating consequences of knife crime and its lasting impacts on lives.
“A man lost his life and will never return to his family.
“Suliman is now serving time behind bars for his actions that night, and I do hope that this sentence brings some measure of closure to Alberto’s family.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Family pay tribute to father-of-two killed in Rochdale plane crash
Daisy Jackson
The family of a man killed in a light aircraft crash in Rochdale have paid tribute to a ‘deeply loving father and devoted husband’.
36-year-old Arian Abbasi was one of two men killed when an aircraft crashed into farmland in Littleborough in Rochdale last week, after travelling from Birmingham.
Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 11am on Tuesday 3 February, but sadly pronounced both men dead at the scene.
It’s believed there was no one else on board the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries on the ground.
Now, Arian’s family have issued a moving tribute to him. He was a pilot from Harrow in Greater London.
They described him as being a ‘deeply loving’ family man, whose passion was flying.
He was about to embark on a new chapter with a commercial airline in just a few weeks’ time.
His family said: “He lived his life for his family and friends, giving them his constant love, strength, and support.
“Flying was his passion, and he was on the brink of beginning an exciting new chapter with a commercial airline on 23 February; a dream he had worked toward with immense pride and determination.”
GMP investigations are now focused on finding part of the parachute system which contains propellant and hasn’t yet been located.
Finding the device has been ‘very difficult’ due to the nature of the terrain and the wide area over which it may have travelled.
It measures approximately 10 cm in diameter and 30 cm long and has a red anodised finish. It weighs less than 2 kg. It may have a silver metal collar attached at one end.
GMP said: “Please do not handle the device if you see it. If discovered, contact the police immediately via 101 or our Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1056 of 03/02/26.”
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free bus travel to and from school
Emily Sergeant
Children who are currently living in temporary housing in Greater Manchester are set to get extra support with school travel.
In a move that was announced by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) at the end of last week, and following years of campaigning, homeless children living in temporary accommodation are now set to get free school travel on all Bee Network buses.
TfGM says it understands that some children end up a long way from their school when placed into temporary accommodation, and this leaves parents or carers with the difficult choice of either having to move them to a closer school, which ultimately disrupts their education, or having to pay unexpected travel costs.
While the Greater Manchester Strategy – which is the plan for the city region’s next decade – commits to reducing the number of families and children in temporary accommodation, and measures are also being taken to make sure residents have the support they need to ‘access, improve, and retain’ a decent, affordable home, this doesn’t tackle the immediate issue.
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free school bus travel / Credit: TfGM
So, to help those families when they ‘need it most’, free bus travel to and from school is set to be provided, as subject to approval of this year’s Combined Authority budget.
The move comes after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham asked TfGM last year to look at options to help with the cost of travel.
“Using our locally-controlled Bee Network buses to support families when they need it most is the right thing to do,” Andy Burnham commented.
Of course, the long-term solution is no kids in TA and we’re working with our councils to achieve this in the next few years.
We can do it because GM will soon hit the point where we are building more council and social homes every year than we’re losing through right-to-buy. 👍🏻
“A move into temporary accommodation is often a massive upheaval for families and can be a worrying time. With this measure, the cost of travel to school will be one less thing for families to worry about.
“It will mean parents and carers don’t have to choose between an extra demand on their household budget and keeping their children with friends and teachers they know and trust.”
Emily Sergeant -
17th November 2025 
