An Afghan man has been charged with the rape and sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl in Manchester city centre.
Abdul Shinwari, 24, was accused of raping the teenager near Piccadilly Gardens on Hope Street in the early hours of July 14.
He was charged with two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, non-fatal strangulation and possession with intent to supply.
Shinwari, of no fixed abode, has since been remanded into police custody.
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He is due to appear before Manchester Crown Court tomorrow.
In the meantime, Greater Manchester Police has confirmed specialist safeguarding officers are continuing to support the victim.
Piccadilly Gardens, located a stone’s throw away from the busy railway station, is known to locals as prone to anti-social behaviour and general low-level crime.
The city council has vowed to invest more in the area to give the gardens a “fresh new look”, including better CCTV and lighting.
“New cameras and brighter lighting will help stop crime and make the Gardens feel safer,” the authority said.
The plans, which were first proposed 10 months ago, Manchester City Council also promised to put in more lawns, plant more trees and create a larger playground for youngsters.
Planning permission is due to be approved in the autumn, while the council promised to start work “as soon as possible”.
However, those who have responded to the ongoing consultation have questioned about the persistent antisocial behaviour in the area.
Last week, interim council leader Garry Bridges said: “Residents have told us loud and clear what they want from Piccadilly Gardens.
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“They want the area to look better and feel safer and that’s exactly what we’re going to deliver.
“There has already been significant investment in the area – including extra police and council resources”.
Across the wider region, GMP recorded almost 10,000 offences of rape and sexual assault in the year ending June 2024.
Around one in five of these offences involved male victims, which triggered the force to launch a plan dedicated to combatting gender-based violence against men and boys.
The force will set out how the region will handle instances of domestic abuse and sexual assault.
The Greater Manchester Gender-Based Violence Strategy 2021-2031 will assess a range of issues impacting victims of “honour-based attacks” as well as violence against gay, bisexual and transgender men.
Duncan Craig OBE, who is the founder of We Are Survivors, declared it was “crucial” to prioritise support for every victim.
The strategy will focus on creating independent domestic violence advisers and establish a victims service coordinator role designed to deliver therapeutic and advice services.
The new strategy will also let victims be rehoused in separate accommodation where necessary.
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