This is the moment Manchester cops arrest a man they had witnessed in possession of a gun, leading to him being jailed for five years.

The arrest took place in the inner-city area of Harpurhey in Manchester on 24th March.

Mohammed Shabaz Rafiq, 24, was chased by Manchester cops after they saw a group of people loitering around Ashgill Walk and turned around to investigate.

The three officers, PC Jack Ginger, PC Richard Hayes and PC Jessica Hamblet, then heard gunshots just metres from where they were patrolling.

Moments later, they saw Rafiq running from the scene and noticed he was carrying a black bin bag.

The cops identified themselves, however, the suspect continued running away and tried to get into a Ford Focus which drove over the pavement to avoid officers.

An officer caught up with the suspect and arrested him and the police team then found the discarded bin bag with a converted gun and empty cartridge inside.

On 15th July, Rafiq was sentenced to five years in prison at Manchester Crown Court after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm.

Police spokesperson Detective Constable Liam Carolan said: “This is another fantastic result for the people of Greater Manchester where we’ve removed a firearm from the streets and found those responsible.

“The quick-thinking and bravery of the three officers at the scene could have arguably saved a life that day. They are a credit to GMP and the people of North Manchester and have helped to ensure we’ve taken another criminal involved in firearms off the streets who so desperately tried to get away.

“In the space of a year, we’ve taken over 100 firearms off the streets of Greater Manchester and have teams of detectives striving to bring those involved in such crime to justice every day.”