CCTV footage (below) captured a terrifying stabbing at Abraham Moss tram stop in Cheetham Hill. The footage shows the attacker, Shujaat Ali, lunging at a 17-year-old victim with a knife. The victim was sitting on the railing at the tram stop on a night in July of last year when the attack occurred.
20-year-old Shujaat Ali has pleaded guilty to attempted assault and has been sentenced to two years in prison. The two young men were reportedly involved in a small altercation that resulted in Ali pulling the knife, which he had hidden up his sleeve during their conversation. It is not clear if the two young men were strangers, or if they had known one another.
The footage shows Ali speaking with the victim before pulling the knife. The victim backs away to a car park, and he was followed by Ali, who brandished his knife again in a threatening manner.
Det Con Leon Cawley-Bowyer, from GMP’s City of Manchester division, explained that, “This was an altercation between two people, which quickly became violent due to the presence of a knife, and could have resulted in a much graver outcome.”
“Knife crime is a top priority for GMP, and I hope that this sentencing today sends a clear message that police remain dedicated to tackling the issue of knife crime on our streets, will ensure that those who engage in this type of criminal activity face the consequences,” he added.
There were 43,516 knife crime offences in 2019.
This is an 80% increase from the low-point in 2014, when there were 23,945 offences, and is the highest number since comparable data was compiled.
These statistics do not include those from Greater Manchester Police because of data recording issues.
Out of the 44 police forces, 43 recorded a rise in knife crime since 2011.
The number of knife-related homicides went from 272 in 2007 to 186 in 2015. Since then, it’s risen every year, with a steep increase in 2017-18, when there were 285 killings, the highest figure since 1946.
One in four victims were men aged 18-24. In 2019, 22,041 people were cautioned, reprimanded, or convicted for carrying a knife in England and Wales
“Carrying a knife is a serious offence, and I would like take this opportunity to remind the public that there are a number of amnesty bins located across Greater Manchester, where any weapons can be disposed of safely and anonymously. Take a look on GMP’s website to find the amnesty bin closest to you,” Cawley-Bowyer told Manchester Evening News.
