Horrific moment knifeman towered over victim before stabbing him in sickening attack

A 19-year-old man who attacked someone in Wigan town centre has been jailed.

Esmaeel Mohamed had been in Wigan town centre on July 18 when he began to become paranoid and aggressive, Bolton Crown Court heard. As he became increasingly distressed and unsettled, he walked into a shop and stole a large knife and ran out into the street.

Onlookers tried to subdue him as he pulled the knife out of its plastic packaging before he approached his victim.

READ MORE: Horror footage of moment teenager is stabbed in vicious attack outside Wigan bus station

Prosecutor Eleanor Gleeson said: "The defendant came up behind the victim and said 'give me your phone', the defendant then stabbed him in the back with the knife." Horrifying footage was played to the court which showed the victim on the ground while Mohamed towered over him with the knife.

Mohamed swiped repeatedly at the victim, inflicting a number of injuries. The most serious of these was described by Ms Gleeson as a 'four centimetre wound to the lower back'.

Mohamed, of Avon Road in Wigan, had walked away before returning to attack him for a second time. The court heard that police arrived on the scene and subdued Mohamed using a taser.

As a result of the attack the victim was rushed to hospital. His injuries were not considered to be life threatening.

The court heard both he and his victim knew each other but were not close and that they had both used cannabis. Mohamed pleaded guilty to charges including robbery and section 18 wounding.

Mitigating, Mr Colin Buckle told the court: "Mitigation doesn't reveal itself easily when someone approaches someone in the street and stabs them." He added: "There was no suggestion that he was going to do anything other than plead guilty."

Questions were also raised about Mohamed's mental health. Mr Buckle said: "The defendant said that he had been suffering from mental health problems, he couldn't put his finger on it. He said that he thinks differently to other people.

"What explanation is there for a young man with no previous convictions to commit such a serious random offence. When somebody behaves in that way there must be some underlying issue."

Recorder Gavin McBride sentenced Mohamed, who has no previous convictions but has a caution for battery from 2018, to 'six years in custody, with an extended sentence period of four years.' This means that when released Muhamed will be on licence for an additional four years than the usual period, and if he offends in that time he will be recalled to prison.

Mr McBride said: "There is some risk that you will commit further offences. I therefore consider an extended sentence is appropriate."

The court also imposed a restraining order which prohibited him from having any contact with the victim, asking anyone to contact him, or approaching within 100 metres of him.