Armed cops storm Northern Quarter pub to find hero cleaner fighting off 'gunman'

A cleaner who was opening up a pub in the Northern Quarter was met by a burglar armed with a realistic looking BB gun - and bravely fought him off.

Khumbulani Nyathi, 26, brazenly walked into the Castle Hotel whilst Fredrick Dwira-Boateng had opened up in March this year. Within minutes he brandished the gun, causing Mr Dwira-Boateng to quickly intervene.

A fracas broke out onto the street before they ended up in the pub, the Lost Cat, where another cleaner had opened up. She closed the shutters, trapping them inside before calling the police.

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Nyathi, of no fixed abode, eventually released the BB gun before armed cops arrived and detained both Nyathi and Mr Dwira-Boateng. They released him after further enquiries were made.

At his sentencing hearing at Minshull Street Crown Court, Philip Hall, prosecuting, said that Mr Dwira-Boateng arrived at the pub at around 4.30am on March 17 this year to clean up and get it ready for opening later that day. He left his jacket, containing his keys and AirPods in the pocket, on a clothes peg before he began mopping the floors.

“He noticed there were footprints on the floor where he had mopped before he was confronted with the defendant who was holding a bottle of alcohol,” Mr Hall said.

“They wrestled over the bottle and the items fell to the floor before the defendant reached inside his coat and pulled out a plastic handgun, which was later found to be unloaded.”

In his police statement, Mr Dwira-Boateng said: “When I saw the gun I rushed into him, trying to restrain him and he kept saying ‘Don’t call the police’. He said he didn’t want to hurt me and said ‘don’t call the police’.”

The scuffle broke out onto the street with the pair moving to the next pub, Lost Cat. A female cleaner was opening up at the time when they moved into the next pub. She closed the shutters trapping them inside, Mr Hall said.

The cleaner said she rang the police amid the ‘terrifying’ incident. Nyathi eventually released the gun and said to Mr Dwira-Boating that he was homeless and needed somewhere to stay. He allowed Mr Dwira-Boateng to secure his hands with a belt whilst waiting for the police to arrive.

Mr Dwira-Boateng put the BB gun into his back pocket before armed police arrived and detained them both. They retrieved the gun before speaking with the female cleaner who explained what had happened and Mr Dwira-Boateng was released.

He then returned to his shift cleaning the pub, but upon checking his jacket pocket he noticed his keys and AirPods were missing. They were later found on Nyathi.

In a statement, he said: “This incident shook me up, we fought for quite some time. I panicked when the police came in with the guns, I’ve never been in a situation like that and it was scary.”

Nyathi was arrested and interviewed and told officers he was homeless and had been walking around the city centre.

Mitigating, David Bentley said that he had been staying with his brother but he couldn’t ‘put up with him anymore’ and Nyathi ended up in a pub.

“He is ashamed of his actions. He has support from his parents, though they frown on the fact he is before the courts,” he said.

“He has had a difficult time in the past, and has struggled with mental health episodes. This short, sharp, shock in custody ensures he will lead a law abiding life in the future.”

Sentencing him to a suspended jail term, Judge Jason MacAdam said: “He didn’t know it was unloaded or a BB gun. He bravely grappled you and he should be publicly commended for his bravery

“It was idiotic of you to have it in your possession. It was the height of foolishness to have it in your possession, whether you were committing a crime or not. You could have been receiving a 10 year sentence.

“You and other people could have been shot.”

Nyathi, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment which was suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, and pay £750 compensation to Mr Dwira-Boateng and £250 to the female cleaner. He previously pleaded guilty to burglary and affray.