A crew of violent teenage thugs spread terror as they lurked the streets targeting school children in a terrifying armed robbery spree. Harley Whipday and Nia Razawa, both 20; and five 17-year-old boys - who cannot be named for legal reasons - were involved in 'planned' attacks of boys as young as 13 as they made their way home from lessons.
Often wearing balaclavas and with their hoods up, the gang prowled before setting upon young victims. Armed with machetes, knives and BB guns, they were a fearsome outfit. In one attack, a child was 'pistol whipped'.
In another, a lad's torso was slashed with a machete. One teenager was put in intensive care after being left with a severe skull fracture, bleeding on the lung, bleeding on the spleen and a broken eye socket. He was left 'unrecognisable' to his family - and had to learn how to walk again.
The tearaways approached kids and demanded their phones during one rampage, before selling the devices at shops in Cheetham Hill.
One victim was described as 'broken' following his ordeal. In another attack, three members targeted a group of children they believed belonged to a rival gang.
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They attacked a boy standing nearby - who wasn't with the group - with a machete, leaving him a large wound to his chest. In another incident, they hit two boys on scooter and bike with a stolen car. One was left in intensive care.
They have now finally faced justice following a series of hearings at Minshull Street Crown Court. Mug shots of Whipday and Razawa have been released by Greater Manchester Police.
The five 17-year-olds - referred to as Boy A, B, C, D and E - cannot be identified by law as they are under 18. Videos and pictures were found on Boy A's phone by cops on GMP's Operation Valiant team. They suggested he had a 'long standing interest' in weapons.
Prosecutor Hannah Forsyth, telling the court about the first robbery, on March 8, 2021, said a group of children were outside a corner shop, when Boy A, Boy B and Whipday arrived in a taxi, on Frederick Road in Salford. With their hoods up and faces covered, the two younger thugs approached the group.
Children quickly scattered, before Boy A and Boy B chased them with weapons. Some of the group ran into the shop, chased by the two teenagers. The attackers then went outside and saw their soon-to-be victim, aged 16, standing alone.
One of the thugs punched him and asked if he 'chilled with Marli'. He said he had 'nothing to do with anything like that'.
Messages on Boy A's phone showed 'Marli' was another gang they were targeting. "The victim had no connection with that rival gang," Ms Forsyth said.
"He was in the wrong place at the wrong time." Boy A and Boy B grabbed the 16-year-old, before Boy B stabbed him in the torso with a machete. He then ran to join Boy A, who was approaching others in group.
The victim grabbed his torso and collapsed as Whipday stood by the taxi. He was holding the cab, with the door open, so they could 'make good their escape'.
The boy tried to move away, but was followed by Boy B, who swung at him again. He tried to go into the shop for help, but was pushed out. The child eventually managed to run away, bleeding and struggling to breathe.
The prosecutor detailed a number of subsequent robberies between March 22 and March 23, 2021 in Blackley, in which Boy A and others approached other teenagers walking home from school, threatening them with a knife or gun and taking their phones.
They then got a taxi to Cheetham Hill, where they sold the stolen mobiles. On another occasion, Boy A lifted his shirt to show a knife hidden in his waistband to a 13-year-old and 14-year-old, before demanding their phones.
On another occasion, after giving back phones to two 14-year-olds, another group of schoolboys walked past. The gang approached them and hit one of the boys to the top of the head with the handle of the machete.
An iPhone 11 was taken, before one boy was 'pistol whipped' with a BB gun. He was hit so hard his nose was broken.
"Following the incidents, one child refused to wear branded clothing for fear of it being stolen," Ms Forsyth said. "He is receiving counselling and cannot walk down the street if there is a group coming the opposite way.
"It's broken him."
'Life with never be the same'
The court was also told of a robbery on May 1 last year. Two teenagers were travelling down Stand Lane, Radcliffe. One was riding an electric bike, the other an electric scooter.
Whipday, Razawa, Boy A, and an unknown male, were travelling in a stolen Ford Focus. They drove at the boys, clipping the wheel of the scooter, before hitting the bike. The scooter got stuck under the bonnet of the car as it stopped in a side street.
Boy A and the unknown person got out of the car and stole the bike. Whipday and Razawa were caught on CCTV driving to a car park and abandoning the Focus.
The boy who had been riding the bike was left with minor injuries. The boy on the scooter was rushed to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, where he was put in intensive care. He suffered multiple injuries - including a severe skull fracture, bleeding on the lung, bleeding on the spleen and a broken eye socket.
In a powerful statement, the boy's mum said her son had to be sedated at the scene and that his airways had to be cleared and his kneecaps were 'popped' back into place. "We were taken to the family room, nobody knew whether he was alive," she said.
"It was horrific and traumatic for all family members." She said his injuries left him 'unrecognisable'. Doctors attempted to take him off life support numerous times, but he initially could not manage.
When he eventually regained consciousness after several months, he had to learn how to sit up, how to eat and how to walk.
"Our whole family feels pain, distress, worry," his mother added. "We are so thankful we have got him back to where he is, but life will never be the same again for him.
"He will not be able to sit his GCSEs and go out with his friends like every other 16-year-old. He doesn't understand why he can't and we have to keep explaining to him."
'Haunted'
Boy A, has previous conviction for possession of a knife; Razawa convictions for battery, possession of a knife and possession of cannabis; and Whipday for a driving offence.
Mitigating for Boy A, David Bentley said his client 'regrets' his offending and is 'sorry for what he has done'. "On reflection, he should not have involved himself," he said.
He added that the boy was at risk of exploitation and criminality. For Razawa, Oliver Jarvis said he was found to be a victim of modern slavery.
For Whipday, John Richards said his client was 'haunted' by the statement from the boy's mum and said he understood he could have faced more serious offences.
Sentencing, the judge, Recorder Joanna Woodward said the attacks were planned and targeted.
- Whipday, of Milan Street, Salford, was jailed for 30 months, for assisting an offender; and perverting the course of justice. Due to the time spent on remand, it is likely he will be released from custody immediately
- Razawa, of Plymouth Grove, Bramhall, Stockport, was jailed for 54 months for robbery
Boy A was detained in a young offender institution for five years, for possession of a bladed article; affray; and conspiracy to rob. He pleaded guilty to robbery
- Boy B was detained in a young offender institution for four years for conspiracy to commit robbery; wounding; and possession of a bladed article
- Boy C was detained for two years having been convicted of two counts of robbery
- Boy D pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery. He was sentenced to a two-year detention and training order
- Boy E pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery. He was sentenced to a two-year youth rehabilitation order
'Violent and terrifying robberies'
Following the hearings, DC Leon Cawley-Bowyer of GMP's Operation Valiant, said: "These were violent and terrifying robberies for all the victims involved and will no doubt have had a lasting impact on their lives. I am glad we have been able to secure a conviction for those involved today and I hope this will provide those victims with a sense of justice.
"This was a complex investigation which included hours of CCTV trawls, detailed forensic work and phone analysis. Fingerprint enquiries on cash used to pay for taxis, phone downloads and clothing recovered from warrants were crucial to gaining convictions for the whole group who were involved in these offences.
"The aggression and violence shown by the group highlights exactly how dangerous they are and I am confident that our streets, and communities are much safer now they have been brought to justice.
"We are committed to ensuring the streets of Greater Manchester are kept safe and no one should go about their day to day life feeling fearful or like they may be at risk of criminal behaviour."
