Bouncers 'could face jail' following nightclub attack on rugby league starlet Joe Sharratt

Former Chorley Panthers player Joe Sharratt suffered two bleeds to the brain in the incident outside the Factory nightclub in Manchester City centre in December 2018.

The men have each been warned they could face jail when they are sentenced on March 30.

Lee Clark, 42, of Sale; Imran Ilyas, 41, of Oldham; Mohammed Saleem, 22, of Manchester; Javad Soliman-Bolagh, 25, of Whitefield; Amjad Yasin, 38, of Oldham and Gareth Carr, 21, of Denton, have all pleaded guilty to affray. Carr also admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm. Carr and Soliman-Bolagh were due to stand trial yesterday instead pleaded guilty to the offences instead.

The Crown Prosecution Service are no longer pursuing charges against a seventh man, who was also due to stand trial yesterday.

Mr Sharratt plays rugby for St Helens Academy. He needed hospital treatment following the attack.

He was out with his friend Leon Cooper on the night.

Manchester Crown Court heard Mr Cooper was also taken to hospital following the attack, but suffered no serious injuries.

At 3.20am on Sunday, December 2, police were called to reports that a man had been assaulted outside Factory nightclub on Princess Street.

Officers attended and Mr Sharratt was taken to hospital with a serious head injury.

Mr Sharratt is also permanently deaf in one ear as a result of the incident which left him on the ground unconscious.

CCTV footage shown in court showed several men attacking Mr Sharratt and Mr Cooper with kicks and punches.

The nightclub was once the headquarters of the Factory Records label that represented Joy Division, New Order and Happy Mondays.