Andrew Higgins, 32, has been jailed for 14 months after launching a violent attack on a grandfather during a children's reading event at Manchester Central Library, then telling terrified staff he had an axe and was going to kill someone.
Higgins, of Greyhound Road in Sutton, Greater London, admitted two counts of possessing an offensive weapon and common assault at a previous hearing at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court.
Attack during children's reading event
Manchester Crown Court heard that on September 24, Higgins went into the landmark rotunda in Manchester city centre and attacked a man from behind while the victim was reading to his 14-year-old grandson, who was on his lap. Other children and their parents were also present.
Prosecutor Anthony Williams told the court on Friday, November 13, 2026, that the grandfather felt 'multiple impacts to the back of his head'. The victim later told police he thought at the time 'the ceiling was collapsing' until he realised he was being attacked.
Threat with axe and hammer
After striking his victim multiple times, Higgins ran away but returned moments later and told library staff: "I've got an axe. I'm going to kill someone." Police arrived and arrested Higgins, finding an axe and a hammer in his rucksack.
During his police interview, Higgins told officers he had acted because he thought his victim had performed a sex act on the child. He also said: "I could have put an axe in is head but I didn't."
Victim impact and sentencing
In an impact statement read out in court, the victim said he had been left 'upset' and that 'a terrible thing happened while my grandson was on my lap'. He added: "I'm shocked he did this for no reason."
Higgins had no previous convictions but had received cautions for public order and common assault. His barrister, Emma Swindell, said there was a 'realistic prospect of rehabilitation', noting her client was 'hard working' with previous employment as a private hire taxi driver and a personal trainer. She said Higgins had been offered a housing association property in London but had moved to Manchester, and would now accept the property if spared prison.
Sentencing, Judge Tina Landale described it as a 'persistent attack' with 'multiple blows' that inflicted 'relatively minor injuries' on the victim. She said the defendant had given 'an explanation by making a false accusation in my judgment of grave offending and there's no evidence that gentleman committed anything what-so-ever'. The judge noted the crime was aggravated because children were present in a public library, and said: "You had stable employment and despite that you chose to come to Manchester to be homeless."
Higgins, who wore a large tattoo on his neck saying 'peace', thanked the judge before being led away to begin his sentence.
