A 'feral' gang of yobs attacked a young man who was stabbed, kicked and stamped on during an apparent case of mistaken identity.
Mehmood Iqbal, 21, stabbed the man while Jordan Prady, 23, and Jake Anderson, 18, both kicked and stamped on him.
Manchester Crown Court heard that the victim, 22, had been to the Spar store on Piccadilly to buy some beer with his cousin.
Outside the shop there was a gang of about 10 people, including Iqbal, Prady and Anderson.
One man asked the victim if he was a man he didn't know.
He then suggested the victim had 'rushed his cell while in prison', prosecutor Andrew Scott said.
The victim told them he wasn't who the man thought he was, and he backed off after the gang started to become aggressive.
They began to chase the pair through the city centre streets, at about 1.30am on Easter Monday last year, April 22.
They were followed through Piccadilly Gardens before the victim decided to head for his car, which was parked in Shudehill.
After making it to Dantzic Street, the pair stopped after his cousin said he couldn't run anymore.
The victim was then attacked and punched to the ground, before being repeatedly kicked and stamped on while on the floor.
He was able to get back up but said an Asian man continued to attack him.
Iqbal was armed with a knife and told the victim 'I'm going to kill you' before stabbing him.
The gang left after the man realised he had been knifed.
Some of his belongings were stolen, including the keys to his Ford Fiesta, an iPhone and a 'man bag' containing £150.
Police were called and Iqbal was arrested nearby.
Officers chased Prady, who was on a bike, but he was detained after he crashed into a police vehicle.
Anderson was arrested in June last year.
The victim suffered stab wounds to his chest and back. He spent some time in intensive care before being released from hospital.
Sentencing, Judge Alan Conrad QC told the defendants: "At night in the centre of Manchester, the three of you with determination chased him down and subjected him to group violence.
"The term feral was used by defence counsel to describe this incident, and it was rightly used."
Iqbal, of Schoolside Close, Cheetham Hill, pleaded guilty to section 18 assault, possession of a bladed article, violent disorder and handling stolen goods.
He was jailed for eight-and-a-half years.
Prady, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to section 20 assault and violent disorder.
He was jailed for 30 months.
Anderson, of Welwyn Drive, Swinton, pleaded guilty to section 20 assault, violent disorder and theft.
He was jailed for 27 months.
