Serial offender accused of multiple sexual assaults in Manchester's Gay Village

A man named Sid Ali Djelid, aged 48, also known as Mourad Malki, is currently on trial accused of multiple sexual assaults and thefts in Manchester’s Gay Village. The court heard that he targeted vulnerable individuals, often drunken revellers, lying in wait on darkened streets to commit assaults. The prosecutor explained, "This is a series of attacks by one man who lies in wait for individuals vulnerable through intoxication." Djelid is accused of befriending four women and one man during their nights out, then creeping up on them and forcing himself upon them, often stealing their possessions in the process. The attacks involved rape, indecent assault, and theft, with victims describing being forcibly pulled, pushed to their knees, and assaulted violently. Djelid is said to have used the same tactics across different incidents, with police identifying a pattern linking him to all attacks. He was apprehended three days after the last attack when bouncers recognized him from a police appeal and CCTV footage. During the trial, witnesses described the horrifying experiences, including a woman who was raped twice and a man who was physically assaulted and robbed. Djelid admitted to stealing from all complainants except the one from April 14, claiming he did not commit any sexual offences but denies encountering that complainant or having any sexual relationship with him. CCTV evidence, DNA, and location data linked Djelid to the crimes, and the prosecution highlighted evidence of stolen phones being near his home. The trial continues as more evidence is presented. The court is yet to pronounce a verdict, and Djelid maintains he did not commit the sexual offences but admits to theft.