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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Andrew Bardsley

The moment shocking brawl erupted in JD Sports as children cowered behind their parents

This is the moment a shocking brawl erupted in a branch of JD Sports - as children watched on in horror and hid behind their parents.

Three men have previously been sentenced up for their part in the ugly fracas at the store on the Fort Retail Park in Cheetham Hill.

A baton was brandished, and mannequins and shop furniture were used as weapons.

READ MORE : Judge issues warrant for the arrest of Manchester Arena bomber's brother

Now footage of the brawl has been released.

Cain Gordon, 20, Levi Murray, 19, and another man, were all involved in the attack in the shop.

Murray swung a baton directly towards a man in the store, before turning his attention to another man who used a rack of clothes to defend himself.

Their co-defendant appeared to throw a bottle of water on another two men, before one victim picked up a furniture pole which he brandished at Murray.

Gordon was then seen to throw the furniture rack and pick up and throw a mannequin, with the third defendant pulling the arm of a mannequin to use as a club.

The defendant swung it at one of the other group, who had armed himself in a similar manner.

Murray was then seen brandishing the retractable baton.

Cain Gordon and Levi Murray, (GMP)

Several customers had to take refuge at the back of the store, Manchester Crown Court heard.

In a written statement, the floor manager at JD Sports said: "This was the first Saturday opening since Covid.

"We were extremely busy and the store had lots of children in with their parents, many of these ran away from the fight, hiding behind their parents.

"At one point, a father is holding an approximate one year old daughter in his hands, as one of the victims brushes past him, attempting to move away from the attack.

A man defends himself by launching a rack of clothes over Murray (CPS)

"As much as I've seen fights in the past, this incident has left me shook up.

"It makes me worry about my staff and customers as its not something they should be seeing."

About £4,100 worth of damage was caused by the incident.

Sentencing at Manchester Crown Court, Judge Suzanne Goddard QC said: "How unpleasant it must have been for these children and their parents to witness the yobbish behaviour you were involved in.

Cain Gordon throwing a mannequin (CPS)

"There were children there who were clearly very scared at what was happening.

"Serious fear and distress was caused to these people in the shop."

Gordon, of Crumpsall, was jailed for 22-and-a-half months after pleading guilty to criminal damage, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and affray.

Murray, of Salford, was jailed for 20 months for the same offences.

Another man who admitted affray, received a 26 month community order.

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