Man, 24, admits £10,000 vandalism of Manchester Arena bombing memorial

A man has admitted causing damage to the Manchester Arena bombing memorial and is due to be sentenced next month. Anwar Hosseni, 24, of Salford, has pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage worth £10,000 to the 'Glade of Light' memorial in Manchester city centre on February 9 when a series of scratch marks were found.

Mr Hosseni appeared at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court on Wednesday morning where it emerged he had admitted the offence when he appeared before Tameside magistrates on February 10. He will be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on May 4.

Mr Hosseni, wearing jeans and a jacket with a small daffodil in his lapel, spoke only to confirm his date of birth and address at Twillbrook Drive in Salford during the brief hearing.

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His solicitor David Caplin said that in his previous appearance at Tameside Magistrates' Court the case was adjourned so the value of the damage could be established. It was 'no secret' it had now been established and the high value meant his client could not be sentenced at the magistrates' court, he said.

During his last hearing, Mr Hosseni appeared with a mental health nurse after he had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, said Mr Caplin.

The court heard the defendant was discharged but was then re-sectioned. Mr Caplin said he had not been able to contact his client during the last few days but he had turned up for his court appearance although he was without a mental health nurse.

The lawyer went on that as yet there had been 'no exploration' as to whether his client had been fit to plead when he admitted criminal damage.

"There doesn't appear to have been any analysis of his