Manhunt for durag-wearing gang member who terrorised Manchester

Police are asking for the public to stay away from a former prisoner urgently wanted on recall to jail.

Ryan Bardsley, 26, who is known to have links to Manchester city center and North Manchester areas, had been part of a homeless gang who targeted victims enjoying the city’s vibrant nightlife.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson did not reveal exactly what Bardsley was wanted on recall for but confirmed he has been on the run since at least Monday morning.

In 2019, Bardsley was jailed for a brutal attack on a man who was dragged down an alleyway and choked.

The victim was on his own on a bench after a night out when then- homeless man Bardsley, then 20, approached him asking for cash.

Bardsley put his hand in the victim’s trouser pocket but was pushed away.

Bardsley put him into a choke hold but he managed to escape and ran down the street in Manchester’s Chinatown.

Bardsley caught up with him again and started to choke him again and was joined by three other homeless people.

They surrounded him then dragged him down an alleyway before throwing him to the floor and stealing his mobile phone and wallet.

CCTV operators tracked the attackers and they were arrested. They were all found guilty of robbery and were jailed for a total of nearly 11 years.

Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 0161 856 3508.

You can also speak to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.