Gang jailed for total of 168 years after brutal killing
A TEENAGER was hunted down and killed by members of a rival gang after he strayed into their territory during a ‘tit-for-tat’ feud.
A judge has now hit out at the ‘arrogance’ of Manchester’s street gang culture as he sentenced 10 men and a 15-year-old boy over the death in May 2016 of Abdul Hafidah, 18.
Seven men were convicted of murder and have been locked up for life. Four others – including the teenage boy – were convicted of manslaughter and also detained at a Manchester Crown Court sentencing hearing. Their sentences totalled 168 years. Abdul – who had a twin sister – was a member of the ‘Rusholme Crips’ street gang, the court heard.
The 11 convicted over his death were all linked to a rival Moss Side gang known as ‘Active Only,’ or AO.
Abdul was said to have walked into ‘enemy territory’ on Westwood Street in Moss Side and was spotted by members of the AO gang, who then chased him before he was knocked down by a Vauxhall Corsa on Moss Lane East then ‘cornered.’
The teenager, who was nicknamed Lansky and a boyhood friend of Manchester Arena bomber and mass murderer Salman Abedi, was punched, kicked and stamped on then left for dead.
He died on May 14, two days after the attack, which took place during the evening rush hour as onlookers watched in horror.
The court heard Abdul, who had armed himself with a knife, was suspected of an earlier bat attack on a member of the rival gang and of threatening another just days before his death. Devonte Cantrill, 20, of no fixed address, plunged a knife into his neck in a ‘final act’ as he lay on the ground.
Cantrill, who the court heard regarded the Moss Side gang as his ‘family,’ was detained for life with a minimum period of 23 years.
Nathaniel Williams, 19, of Hebburn Walk, Rusholme, was 17 at the time and driving the car that ran down and hit Abdul. He was detained for life with a minimum period of 19 years. Both were convicted of murder. Delroy Wright, 18, of no fixed address; Durrell Ford, 20, of Darncombe Close, Moss Side; Trey Wilson, 19, of Oakfield Avenue, Whalley Range; Durrell Goodall, 20, of Kings Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside; and Reanu Walters, who was 18 at the time and is now 19, were all also convicted of murder after separate trials.
Wright was detained for life with a minimum period of 19 years. Ford was detained for life with minimum period of 20 years. Wilson was detained for life with a minimum period of 18 years. Goodall was detained for life with a minimum sentence of 16 years, and Walters was detained for life with a minimum period of 20 years.
Judge Mr Justice Peter Openshaw said they would serve the full terms and only be released subject to parole board approval.
William George, 21, of Cowesby Street, Moss Side; Devonte Neish, 18, of Nell Lane, Chorlton and a 15-year-old – who cannot be named for legal reasons – were convicted of manslaughter.
Remekell Samuels, 19, of Caythorpe Street, Moss Side, pleaded guilty to manslaughter – the only defendant to admit his guilt in court.
George was jailed for 12 years, Neish and Samuels detained for eight years and the teenage boy – who the court heard was an ‘enthusiastic gang younger’ – was detained for five years.
Mr Justice Openshaw said: “Their conduct displays the arrogance and ruthless characteristic of street gangs. I hope that these convictions go some way to dispel that illusion.”