A violent thug, Abdirahman Abdi, 26, has been jailed after targeting strangers in Piccadilly Gardens.

The incident began when a man witnessed Abdi harassing a group of girls and shoving a burger into their faces. The man bravely intervened, asking Abdi what he was doing and telling him to behave. Abdi ominously replied, “Watch what happens.”

Later that afternoon, Abdi returned to Piccadilly Gardens with seven masked accomplices. They attacked the man who had confronted Abdi earlier, with Abdi punching him in the face, resulting in a cut. The group continued to assault him, knocking him to the ground and kicking him in the head before fleeing the scene, as reported at Manchester Crown Court.

A few days later, another victim waiting for a bus was approached by Abdi, who invited him to sit between him and a friend. While the man was distracted, Abdi surreptitiously removed his phone from the victim's bag and attempted to pass it to his accomplice. When confronted, Abdi threatened, “I’ll fight you for it.” Fortunately, the man managed to escape and contact the police.

Abdi's criminal history is extensive, with 22 convictions for 39 offences. In mitigation, his lawyer, Salek Ahmed, mentioned that Abdi wished to apologize for his actions, acknowledging his chaotic lifestyle and expressing a desire to reform.

Sentenced to 10 months in prison, Recorder Andrew Long condemned Abdi's behavior, stating he played a leading role in a group attack and acted in an antisocial manner. Additionally, a criminal behaviour order was imposed, prohibiting Abdi from entering a specific area of the city centre for three years.