South Sudanese National Sentenced After Armed School Grounds Stalking

​GREATER MANCHESTER — A South Sudanese national carrying a deadly arsenal of weapons while stalking the grounds of two shuttered schools has been sentenced to two years in prison following a harrowing security breach.

​Both Douk Deng, 21, walked a complete circuit around Edgar Wood Academy in Heywood on August 6 last year while armed with a hammer, a hatchet, a seven-inch kitchen knife, and a jerry can filled with half a litre of petrol. Quick-thinking construction workers on the site confronted the intruder, leading to his swift arrest by Greater Manchester Police.

​Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court was told that Deng, an illegal migrant described as “attention-seeking” and in deep personal distress, had grown increasingly frustrated with the immigration system. Just a day prior to the academy incident, he was spotted acting erratically at the Holy Family RC and CE College in Rochdale, where he kicked and damaged an intercom system. Both educational facilities were empty for the summer holidays at the time.

​Defense counsel Sara Haque argued that her client harbored no malicious intent toward children, teachers, or the general public. She portrayed the incident as a “bizarre and compulsive act” driven by desperation. According to the defense, Deng possessed limited English proficiency, felt isolated living in a house in multiple occupation (HMO), and was overwhelmed by frustration after believing immigration authorities were ignoring his pleas for assistance. Psychiatric evaluations confirmed he suffered from no major underlying mental health conditions.

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​Deng ultimately pleaded guilty to a string of charges, including criminal damage, possessing an offensive weapon, and carrying a knife in a public place and on school premises. He will serve half of his two-year sentence behind bars and the remainder on licence.

​Presiding Judge Bernadette Baxter addressed the broader immigration context during sentencing, noting that the Home Office should take proactive steps regarding his future status given his time already spent in custody.

​A Home Office spokesperson condemned the actions, stating that the government remains committed to removing foreign national offenders and implementing sweeping immigration reforms to deter unauthorized migration.