Oldham man jailed following knife attack in city centre

A Chadderton man has been locked up after admitting stabbing a man in the side of the neck during a violent brawl in Manchester City Centre.

Said Sadat (19), of Block Lane was jailed for three years and nine months following a hearing at Manchester Crown Court yesterday (Thursday) after pleading guilty to section 20 assault. 

The court heard how officers were called out to a fight involving several men and a stabbing near the centre of Piccadilly Gardens just before 9pm on Sunday, July 27, 2025. 

On arrival, police found a man in his 20s with a significant laceration to the side of his neck. Officers immediately administered first aid before he was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment. 

Initial accounts and CCTV footage showed that Sadat had approached the victim earlier in the evening, telling him he was “not allowed” to be in the Gardens. Sadat left the area but returned minutes later armed with a knife, at which point a violent confrontation took place resulting in the victim’s injuries. 

Sadat was arrested and taken to hospital for treatment before being interviewed by detectives. Following a thorough investigation, including the review of CCTV, body‑worn video footage and statements from witnesses, Sadat was charged with section 18 assault. 

Detective Constable Peter Viney of GMP’s City of Manchester CID who led the investigation said: “This was a violent and unprovoked attack in one of the busiest areas of the city centre. I would like to commend the quick actions of officers and the bravery of members of the public at the scene who helped the victim who had been severely injured. 

“Sadat’s sentencing today reflects the gravity of his actions and our ongoing commitment to tackling knife crime and violence in Manchester.” 

Chief Inspector Mike Tachauer who leads GMP’s Piccadilly Gardens neighbourhood policing team said: “Knife crime has no place on our streets and as shown by today’s sentencing, officers across GMP are committed to working tirelessly to bring offenders to justice.

"We understand incidents like this cause concern within the community, and we are constantly working with partners and the local community taking a problem-solving, evidence-based approach to make tangible changes to the area to make it a safer place for all those that visit. 

“Our dedicated Piccadilly Gardens team are out constantly out on proactive patrols and their commitments to tackling crime have resulted in hundreds of offenders being brought before the courts, numerous weapons taken off our streets and drugs seized and destroyed. 

“We are also able to draw on resources from across GMP including our Specialist Operations team who are helping to bolster our presence in areas that we know have previously been hotspots for knife crime, including Piccadilly Gardens. 

“Reports from members of the public also help us to build intelligence pictures and tackle issues within Piccadilly Gardens and the wider area. Please continue to report incidents to ourselves via 101 or the channels on our website. Being able to prevent crime before it happens and targeting resources where we know issues occur is crucial to keeping our communities safe.” 

In December 2025, GMP was selected as part of a Home Office pilot which sees police deploy a new tool in the fight against knife crime, targeting hyperlocal areas that are most impacted.  

The pilot focuses on reducing serious violence, specifically knife crime, in Manchester City Centre, by targeting key hotspots across the city centre. This initiative aims to create safer spaces for residents, businesses, and visitors by deploying more officers and delivering targeted hotspot policing.