Two vicious thugs ambushed three innocent men from behind as they were walking home from a night out - one was left deaf and unable to drive following the barbaric attack.
Jordan Smith, 30, and Simbarashe Mandaza, 26, had earlier been kicked out of Albert Schloss in Manchester City Centre having been involved in a fight inside the bar with a different group. Having left, Smith was later seen driving back to the area, near Deansgate, in his car.
As the three men, not known to either Smith or Mandaza, left the bar around half an hour later, CCTV footage captured the terrifying moment Smith, followed by Mandaza, ran up behind them and brutally attacked them.
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Armed with a brick, Smith swung at the first man, hitting him to the head and knocking him to the ground. Mandaza attacked the second man, kicking and punching him to the floor where he continued raining punches down on him.
The third man tried to defend his friends, but Mandaza repeatedly punched him to the head. After the attack both men ran, but Mandaza returned when he saw one man trying to get up, and stamped on his head with such force that he fell over.
One man was so disorientated following the attack that he ran into the middle of the road and almost got hit by a car. He has been left permanently deaf in one ear, has balance issues and is no longer able to drive.
Smith and Mandaza were both charged with attempted murder, but instead pleaded guilty to an alternative offence of wounding with intent. Today (January 26) they were both jailed.
Men were attacked from behind as they walked home from Albert Schloss
Joe Boyd, prosecuting, told the court that on June 13 last year, at around 1.30am, that the two defendants were involved in an altercation with an unknown group of men inside Albert Schloss, located on Peter Street. Smith was ejected from the front and Mandaza was ejected from the back, onto Booth Street.
The two met on Booth Street before Smith left and returned his black Nissan. He was then spotted jumping into a building site and taking a brick, before he’s spotted on the phone to Mandaza, Mr Boyd said.
“The two can then be seen looking in the direction of the entrance. At 2.16am, the three victims left Albert Schloss and turned right onto Deansgate,” Mr Boyd said.
“At that stage the defendant's vehicle is parked and both can be seen following the victims down Peter Street and towards Dirty Martini. Smith can then be seen running down the street towards the victims carrying the brick in his hand, and Mandaza is running behind him.”
Smith ran ‘immediately’ behind one of the men, hitting him to the back of his head with the brick before he fell to the ground. He then repeatedly hit him with the brick whilst he lay ‘defenceless’ on the ground.
Meanwhile, Mandaza can be seen running towards the second man, hitting him and dragging him to the floor before stamping on him and repeatedly hitting him to the head. Smith then ran towards the third man and kicked him to the head before Mandaza also kicked him to the head whilst he curled up in a foetal position.
Smith continued punching him and then kicked him with such force that he fell off balance.
“One of the men tried to defend his friend from Mandaza, who pushed him away before punching him,” Mr Boyd continued.
“In an attempt to get away, one of the men walks backwards, Mandaza punches him causing him to fall back before Smith kicks him to his body and head. Smith then drags him into the road into oncoming traffic.”
Smith can be seen on CCTV running back up towards Peter Street and with Mandaza following him, but he saw one of the men lying in the road trying to get up and ran back to him, ‘jumped on his head’ and kicked him with such force that he slipped and fell on top of him.
One of the victims was so confused as he tried to get up that he ran into the middle of the road and narrowly avoided getting hit by a car.
The pair then fled from the city centre in Smith’s car. He was later tracked down by police through his registration details.
"My family have said I seem like a completely different person"
Speaking of the injuries to the victims, Mr Boyd said one of the men was left with a broken eye socket, broken nose, broken cheekbone and a significant traumatic brain injury. He is now totally deaf in one ear and has balance issues.
The second man suffered three deep wounds to his head along with a broken cheekbone and the third man sustained a large cut to his head which had to be glued.
In a victim personal statement read to the court, the first man said his balance issues still affect him today, that he is suffering with anxiety and depression, and said his driving licence was taken off him due to his head injury.
The second man said he has seen a counsellor and struggles with PTSD and anxiety. “I used to be an outgoing person but I’m now reserved. My family have said I seem like a completely different person,” he said.
Mandaza was said to have a previous conviction for assault on a police officer; and Smith was said to have numerous offences of violence from when he was a youth.
“This was simply an ambush. They attacked the wrong people,” the prosecutor concluded.
"I am so sorry. I understand you’re angry, to be honest, I’d be angry too. This is a mad one for me."
For Smith, William England said: “From the outset, my client wants to say that he readily accepts his behaviour in June last year was, putting it bluntly; horrendous, utterly appalling and horrifying. His words, not mine.”
Citing a letter his client, a trained boxer, had written to the court in which he apologised to the family, Mr England said he was deeply regretful and remorseful. “The only positive outcome is that the three victims survived the attack - that is due to good fortune more than anything else,” he said. He added that he has made efforts whilst in custody to address his anger management issues.
For Mandaza, Fuad Arshad also cited a letter written, again outlining his remorse. “This offence was not a representation of who I am, but an example of who I don’t want to be,” he said.
“I am disappointed and disgusted about my actions and I have let myself down.”
Speaking emotionally from the dock to a packed out courtroom, Smith said: “I am aware the family and the victim are here today and I truly want to say how sorry I am. I am so sorry. I understand you’re angry, to be honest, I’d be angry too. This is a mad one for me.
“I’m so sorry to the victims. I’m so sorry to the family. I ain’t asking for forgiveness. I just don’t want you to be bitter, I want you to go on and live your lives. I promise, I want to be better. I ain’t perfect, I reacted in the moment. I hope, one day, you can see how sorry I am for the hurt I have caused.”
Also addressing the families from the dock, Mandaza said: “I would like to take the opportunity to say I’m truly, really sorry for what I did. I know sorry can’t change what I have done.
“It was completely out of character. Nothing I can say can change what happened. Being in court, having this on my shoulders, I want to make sure the family understands how sorry I am, deeply, in my heart.”
Sentencing, Judge Elizabeth Nicholls said: “You are both intelligent and articulate men, both with potential and talent and both have shown courage in standing and facing the families here today to apologise.
“But on the night of June 13 last year, you brutally, irrationally and barbarically attacked the three victims in this case.
“This was cowardly, brutal, ruthless and savage.”
Smith, of Hulme Road, was jailed for 15 years; and Mandaza, of Back Hulme Road, was jailed for 17 years. Both will serve two thirds of their sentence in prison before they will be released on licence.
"Our officers have worked tirelessly with the victims and their families to ensure they receive justice after this horrific and senseless attack"
Speaking after the hearing, Detective Constable Natalie Hollows of GMP’s City of Manchester district said: "The attack of three innocent young men will never be tolerated in our communities across Greater Manchester. Our officers have worked tirelessly with the victims and their families to ensure they receive justice after this horrific and senseless attack.
"The three victims were simply enjoying a night out in Manchester City Centre, when they were attacked in what is believed to be a case of mistaken identity.
"Smith and Mandaza had lay in wait for around 40 minutes after choosing a brick as a weapon before the victims had left a bar on Peter Street at 2.15am. The victims were then assaulted in a barbaric manner from behind, being repeatedly hit over the head with the brick, punched and stamped on, causing severe and life changing injuries.
"Though this attack will have a lasting impact on the victims lives it is my hope this sentencing will provide some form of closure. Greater Manchester Police would like to thank the victims, their families and members of the public who helped provide information to ensure the sentencing of two dangerous individuals and ensure justice for the victims.”
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