A man who attacked a sixteen-year-old boy with a machete in Rochdale has been jailed for 5 years 4 months after he was caught trying to flee the country from Manchester airport.
The teenager was stabbed on Sheriff Street in Rochdale back in June and was left with serious and possibly life changing injuries to his shoulder.
His attacker had arrived at the location in a vehicle before he ran towards the victim and struck him to the shoulder with the machete.
The victim suffered immediate external and internal bleeding and received emergency treatment by paramedics on the pavement before being taken to hospital.
Sayam Ali aged 18 of Upper Hayes Close, Rochdale, was quickly identified as a suspect after enquiries from Rochdale CID and a manhunt was launched to discover his whereabouts.
Ali was arrested at Manchester Airport on as he attempted to flee the country by boarding a plane to Malta. He had with him four large suitcases.
Ali was sentenced to 5 years 4 months imprisonment after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to assault and possession of an offensive weapon.
Detective Constable Russell Clarke of GMP’s Rochdale CID, said: “The attack was frenzied and Ali displayed a complete disregard for human life.
“Sayam Ali is somebody that advertised himself online as ‘armed and dangerous’ and whilst committing this act he made no attempt to conceal his identity.
“He subsequently tried to evade the police before we were able to arrest him at Manchester Airport as he cowardly attempted to flee the country.
“We are committed to doing everything possible to ensure those responsible for such acts, are brought to justice and taken off the streets.
“Whilst the defendant is now in prison, the young victim of this attack continues, what is likely to be, a long and difficult recovery.
“The full gravity and impact on the victim and also his family cannot be measured, but I am hopeful that they can find some form of normality in the weeks and months to come.”
“I would also like to directly appeal to those carrying weapons to surrender them, anonymously, in our Forever Amnesty bins which are located at 13 police stations across Greater Manchester. Each knife deposited goes toward making our communities a safer place for everyone.”
