‘They took pleasure in hurting us’: Victims speak out about Victoria Park muggings

Earlier this week gang members Margaret Grey and Zara Hussain were sentenced to jail for a seven month string of violent attacks.

In one brutal attack, two female students were walking through Victoria Park when they were beaten – before the drunken gang made off with a bag.

Now, one of the students left helpless at the hands of the vicious gang speaks exclusively to The Tab about their horrifying ordeal.

Photo credit: MEN

The robbery took place on Scarsdale Road

“We kinda got the impression they were going to mug us when they asked the time and started following us. So we just walked really fast.”

“We were really scared. All I wanted was just to get home before they reached us. Which obviously didn’t happen.”

“They basically beat us up more than anything. Didn’t even give us the chance to give them our phones or anything. Just took pleasure in hurting us.”

Another house mate said: “It made me feel angry that someone had done that to my friends.”

“I’m glad the muggers have been sentenced and have been punished for their behaviour.”

One of the victims burst through this door as she screamed for help

And the victim admits she is still leaving in fear. She told The Tab:

“I moved to a more central place, and I’m paying almost twice the rent just to be far away from this. I also take more taxis, especially if I’m on my own and it’s late. So I’m spending much more money just for the feeling of security.”

Her final thoughts were blunt.

“What would I say to these people? That they ruined our lives for a couple of phones. And that I hope they at least got a good price for them.”

A close friend of the victims who made the call to 999 also tells of her panic when her badly beaten housemates walked through the door. She said: “That night, my friend burst through the door, screaming for someone to call the police.

“I found that two of my house mates had been chased while walking home, caught and beaten harshly. What started as a normal night ended in fear.”

Another housemate of the victims said: “You grow used to hearing about incidents like this and usually shrug them off thinking they’ll never affect you.

“Then when it happens to someone close to you it suddenly does. We all lost a great deal of confidence and would never walk home after dark, even in a group.

“I think it’s going to be a long time before that confidence comes back.”

Police leaned on this cone as they took statements.

The gang’s reign of terror finally came to an end in April last year.  In one attack, friends were dragged to the ground on Daisy Bank Road in Fallowfield and beaten by two of the girls, who had been drinking beforehand.

They continued on to rip out a woman’s earring and steal her phone three hours later.

Four months on, two of them attacked a shopkeeper in Longsight, punching him in the face.

The Manchester Evening News reported that this gang consisted of Margaret Grey, Zara Hussain, Daniella Hodge, and Chloe Minchion.

Grey was locked up for 32 months and got an Asbo. Hussain was jailed for 20 months. Hodge received a two-year community order. Minchion is wanted by police for failure to show for sentencing.