Ryan Florence, the teenager who pretended to shoot David Cameron during a council estate visit, represents everything that politicians fear about a growing underclass of disaffected, feral youths out of control on Britain’s council estates.

On the Manchester estate where the teenager lives, he and his gang, the Benchill Man Dem, spend their days drinking, taking drugs and going on crime sprees. Ryan has smoked cannabis since he was 10 years old and uses it every day.

He has never held down a job, and sees no reason to. He funds his lifestyle with burglaries and street robberies. On Monday he will be back before magistrates for sentencing for burglary, and police expect him to get a custodial sentence.

He and his gang dress identically in hooded black designer clothes or imitation labels. At first meeting, they seem like any other group of teenagers, cocky and insecure in equal measures. But the difference is that these young men carry and brandish guns and knives as naturally as the latest mobile phones and dismiss their crimes with equal casualness. Ryan, 17, who is electronically tagged, was photographed making a shooting gesture, behind Mr Cameron’s head.

None of the gang knew, or cared, who Mr Cameron was when he toured the Benchill estate in Wythenshaw. They just saw a man in a suit trailed by television cameras. The Conservative leader wanted to tackle gun violence and gang culture by talking about rebuilding families. Yesterday Ryan was standing around on his usual street corner, with eight members of his gang, bemused by the media attention but trying to earn cash from it.

Apart from the cameras it was a normal day, spent “chilling” with “his boys”. Since being tagged, however, he has to be home by 7pm. He lives with his mother, Helen, 39, and four young brothers and sisters, all under the age of 13. His father is “not around”.

Like most of his friends, he left school at 13. “My mum tried to make me go to school,” he said. “I ended up getting sent to a bad behaviour school. I didn’t take exams. I started getting into trouble years ago. I’ve done burglaries, street robberies, done lots of things.

“I’ve done a bit of time [in a young offender institution]. We’ve all been in, mostly for the same things, burglaries and street robberies. We’ve mostly got Asbos and tags.”

Of the shooting gesture he made at Mr Cameron, Ryan said: “We just saw this guy walking past. It wasn’t just me, there were about four of us who did it for the cameras.

“My gang’s the Benchill Man Dem. We’ve always lived round here. We all went to school together. We’re all really close.

We look after each other. We keep an eye out for other gangs and look after our area.”

The boastful words about his string of convictions are mumbled into his hood as he shuffles from foot to foot, seeming awkward and shy and avoiding eye contact. Other more articulate gang members chip in and interrupt each other.

Despite their bravado and criminal lifestyles, the boys appear almost endearingly eager to please, desperate for attention as most teenagers are. They shout greetings to some of the residents who walk past.

While chatting, one of them casually pulls an 8in kitchen knife from his sleeve and starts showing it off. Another one says: “That’s my knife you cheeky bastard.” Another gang member who has a gun, or “strap”, is due to arrive later.

Their plans for the future revolve around having lots of money, owning big cars or motorbikes and the latest mobile phones.

A few are learning bricklaying at college; the others do not work or study and have no plans to earn an income.

Times Recommends

• Swine flu vaccine for all as drug rushed through
• Artificial sperm and the race to build a baby
• BBC jets out stars to tout for prizes