Saleh Mahmud
Introduction
Saleh Mahmud, a 30-year-old man from Ashton Under Lyne in Greater Manchester, was sentenced to twelve years’ imprisonment at Manchester Crown Court on 4 November 2026 after being found guilty of two counts of rape and pleading guilty to robbery, common assault, two counts of fraud, intentional strangulation and possession of criminal property. Greater Manchester Police described him as “a predatory offender who targeted men”.
The case reached trial because one survivor came forward after a night out ended in a secluded wooded area, and his evidence — together with forensic samples and a DNA match — secured the conviction.
Background Information
Mahmud was born in March 1996 and lived on Canterbury Street, Ashton Under Lyne.
On 23 December 2025, one of the survivors met Mahmud during a night out in Manchester city centre. The following day the pair travelled to Oldham together, where Mahmud led the man to a secluded wooded area in Failsworth.
The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation
Convicted and sentenced. A jury found Saleh Mahmud guilty of two counts of rape, and he admitted robbery, common assault, two counts of fraud, intentional strangulation and possession of criminal property. He was sentenced to twelve years’ imprisonment.
In the Failsworth wooded area, despite the survivor making it clear he did not want to have sex, Mahmud raped him. After the attack he threatened to kill the survivor and stole his mobile phone and bank cards before leaving. Once he felt safe to do so, the survivor reported the offence to police and provided forensic samples, which produced a DNA match identifying Mahmud.
Mahmud was arrested at his home address on 29 December 2025. A search of the property uncovered five mobile phones, snap bags containing white powder, more than £3,300 in cash and three driving licences belonging to other people. Those items linked Mahmud to a separate robbery reported days earlier, in which another man reported meeting Mahmud on a night out before returning to his home — where Mahmud stole his mobile phone and wallet, assaulted him and fled the address.
He was found guilty of two counts of rape after trial and pleaded guilty to the remaining offences. He was sentenced on 4 November 2026 at Manchester Crown Court.
Public Reaction and Consequences
Both survivors provided Victim Impact Statements as part of the court proceedings. The Failsworth survivor described the lasting impact of the attack, saying it had left him living with anxiety, fear and a loss of confidence, affecting his relationships, work and everyday life. The second survivor said the incident had significantly affected his trust in other people and left him feeling unsafe in his own home, adding that the visible scar from the attack serves as a daily reminder and that he hoped the sentence would bring some closure.
Detectives from Greater Manchester Police praised the bravery of the survivor whose report secured the conviction. The force said its message was clear: “we will find you and we will bring you before the courts”, and expressed hope that the sentence would provide the survivor “with some measure of justice as he continues to rebuild his life”.
Current Status
Mahmud is serving a twelve-year prison sentence imposed at Manchester Crown Court on 4 November 2026. The force used its sentencing release to encourage anyone who has been raped or sexually assaulted to report it, pointing to support services including Saint Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Manchester, Greater Manchester Rape Crisis and Survivors Manchester.
Impact on Their Career/Life
The twelve-year sentence and the convictions for rape, robbery and strangulation offences end Mahmud’s freedom for over a decade and leave him with criminal convictions that will appear on any disclosure check for the rest of his life. Police said the investigation continues to demonstrate that those “who choose to manipulate, exploit and harm people in such devastating ways will be relentlessly pursued”.
Sources
- “Thanks to survivor’s bravery, predatory offender jailed for 12 years” — Greater Manchester Police — source