Three men have been handed lengthy jail sentences after the attempted murder of a 16-year-old boy in Salford last March.
Aiden Broadhurst, Kyle Meighan, and Jieh Sufyaan have each been jailed for 32 years.
Each of the three men were jailed for life at Manchester Crown Court yesterday (26 February 2024) after being found guilty of attempted murder following a two-month trial, and all received the same sentences – including an additional three years each on licence.
It comes after a 16-year-old boy, who Greater Manchester Police (GMP) say cannot be named for legal reasons, was riding his motorbike through the Salford town of Eccles on the afternoon of Sunday 19 March 2023, when he was spotted by Broadhurst, Meighan, and Sufyaan and an “immediate assembly for a targeted attack” was then promptly “organised”.
#JAILED | These three men were today given jail sentences of 32 years each after they attempted to murder a 16-year-old boy in #Salford on Mother's Day last year with a gun.
GMP's Major Incident Team worked tirelessly to secure the convictions.
The court heard that the boy was riding the motorbike with his girlfriend to a local convenience store, and the pair made their way onto Station Road towards Armitage Street, with CCTV showing they were closely-followed by the suspect motorbike, which traced the route the boy had taken and pulled up alongside them.
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Seconds later, two gunshots were heard.
The 16-year-old boy sustained a single gunshot wound, which went through his arm and into his chest, and was taken to hospital for treatment shortly after – but thankfully, was discharged a couple of days later to recover at home.
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Following the distressing incident, a police investigation was subsequently launched, which was named ‘Operation Knott’.
Three men have been jailed for life after the attempted murder of a 16-year-old Salford boy / Credit: GMP
‘Operation Knott’ was primarily led by GMP’s Serious Crime Division, in conjunction with Salford district policing teams, and was said to have involved “painstaking” work to determine the events tht happened, all eventually leading to the apprehending and sentencing of the three suspects.
“We hope that today’s result will go some way to allowing the victim to heal and move on with his life,” commented GMP’s Detective Chief Inspector, Neil Higginson, following yesterday’s sentencing.
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“Every single officer who took part in this investigation is committed to keeping people who live within the local community safe, as it is simply unacceptable to have people carrying guns and using these, and we will make it our life’s work to ensure that these kinds of people are taken off the streets.
“We would also like to thank the community of Salford, as their ongoing support ensures we can tackle crime together and keep people of Manchester safe.”
Featured Image – GMP
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New images released of Piccadilly Gardens as transformation plans take a big step forward
Daisy Jackson
Plans to transform Piccadilly Gardens to make them more ‘colourful, vibrant and safe’ have taken a big step forward today, with new images released.
Manchester City Council has shared the vision to the public ahead of a planning application being submitted this summer.
The plans to finally give Piccadilly Gardens some love were revealed last autumn, but things are now moving at pace with a delivery team appointed to design and build the new public space.
The new images show the vision for more green space, including lawns, trees, planting, seating, and colourful horticultural displays.
The temperamental fountains will also be removed for good, replaced with a new space called The Pavilion which will host family-friendly events.
The low concrete walls and raised planters at the edge of the gardens will be ripped out, improving the setting of the Queen Victoria statue.
There’ll be a new, larger playground for younger children, created in the same high quality style as the new parks at Mayfield Park and Ancoats Green.
A pre-planning consultation has started today and will run until Wednesday 15 July, with plans to submit the final planning application later this summer.
The new-look play area at Piccadilly GardensPlans for the new Piccadilly Gardens from above
The council has said that these new designs reflect feedback from the public and opinions on what we want to see at the new Piccadilly Gardens.
Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig said: “We’re getting on with sorting out Piccadilly Gardens. We all want to see a space which Mancunians can be proud of – a welcoming and attractive environment which people want to spend time in.
“So as well other initiatives which are delivering more police and more CCTV, we’re bringing forward this scheme to transform the public space. That means investment in more flowers, more greenery, a new welcome pavilion, a new and bigger playground and an altogether more inviting Piccadilly Gardens. A bright new chapter is just around the corner.”
Further planned improvements to the area around Piccadilly Gardens in the coming years will include a multi-million pound investment by Transport for Greater Manchester to create a new, modern transport interchange.
Council calls on Manchester public to help bring hundreds of empty homes back into use
Emily Sergeant
Residents across Manchester are being called on to help bring hundreds of empty homes across the region back into use.
Since the beginning of this year, a major review has been underway around the city’s draft strategy for bringing empty homes back into use to help meet demand for affordable homes across the city, while also improving communities by tackling empty homes that can blight an area… but now, Manchester City Council needs your help.
Following a major public consultation, the Council is now acting on feedback to accelerate plans to bring as many long-term empty homes back into active use as possible.
Although the number of long-term empty homes in Manchester is near a historic low, with the Council having managed to reduce the number by more than half since 2013, there is still more work to be done.
“Every void property is a missed opportunity to provide a family a place to live, reduce homelessness, and lessen the burden on temporary accommodation,” the Council said in a statement.
The Council is calling on the Manchester public to help bring hundreds of empty homes back into use / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
So, how can residents help then? What do you need to do if you spot an empty home on a street nearby?
Well, the easiest way to report an empty home is to report the issue online here, or by emailing [email protected]. And then once that’s done, a team of dedicated empty homes officers will take up the case to find out who owns the property and work with the owner on a plan to bring the home back into use.
The vast number of empty homes are privately owned with complex histories, and there are some cases where an owner may have passed away.
While working collaboratively with housing providers, voluntary organisations and public services are also a key element of detecting potentially empty or ‘problematic’ homes to repurpose them.
Officers can also support, where required, if a communication or language poses a barrier to resolving an empty home issue.
Tailored approaches to different communities – where empty homes impact neighbourhoods in different ways – are also being considered, according to the Council.
“To think, if we could bring all empty homes back into use, then we could provide more homes for those on the housing register and take pressure off the whole housing system,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development.
“The potential of making empty homes a thing of the past is huge for Manchester families looking for a place to call home – and a significant part of tackling the housing crisis.”
Emily Sergeant -
27th February 2024 
