Pair avoided jail

A Sheffield man finished up on the wrong end of a hammer when he recruited a pal to tackle an enemy who strangled him over an unpaid debt.

Joseph Simpkin, aged 27, was seen among a mob of six males taking clobbers from the mallet after turning up at his foe’s door with co-defendant Adam Wyatt - who was tooled up with a kitchen knife.

Joseph Simpkin, left, and Adam Wyatt leaving court | Iconic

placeholder image — Joseph Simpkin, left, and Adam Wyatt leaving court | Iconic

Sheffield Crown Court heard after the hammer attack Simpkin was seen showing his comrades the wounds inflicted during the mad melee on St Elizabeth Close, near Queen’s Road, on April 20, 2025.

Gobsmacked onlookers saw Wyatt, 32, brandishing his blade as he ran at the other man, who was able to run indoors unscathed.

Judge Charles Thomas, who assessed Wyatt as a “clearly vulnerable man” with learning difficulties told him: “When people see someone of your age and size with a knife they are going to be frightened because knives kill people.”

Matthew Moore-Taylor, prosecuting, said the disorder arose from an earlier “altercation” between Simpkin and the other male over an unsettled debt.

During that fracas Simpkin was “grabbed by the neck and choked”.

Mr Moore-Taylor added: “Mr Simpkin told Mr Wyatt what had happened. Mr Wyatt was seen leaving his flat later with a kitchen knife.”

The pair were then seen making their way to Wyatt’s neighbour’s property for retribution, said the prosecutor.

However the planned payback was unsuccessful as Simpkin suffered blows from Wyatt’s neighbour’s hammer.

Simpkin had convictions for battery and criminal damage while Wyatt had an ABH conviction, the court heard.

The court heard Wyatt’s neighbour had also faced charges over the incident however he was later acquitted.

Judge Charles Thomas said the reasons for the offence remained “unclear” due to “evidential difficulties” however it was clear their co-defendant was “the opponent”.

He said: “There was some sort of disagreement between you, Mr Simpkin, and (the co-defendant). You told Mr Wyatt about it and the two of you decided to confront him about it.”

The judge noted Simpkin was “struck with a hammer” and his ADHD and PTSD diagnoses would have influenced his judgement on the day of the offence. However he added: “You were a participant in the affray.”

He told Wyatt: “It’s clear you are a vulnerable man and you may have been easily led into what occurred. You were in possession of a knife on that occasion.

“When people see someone of your age and size with a knife they are going to be frightened because knives kill people. That must not happen again or you will get yourself in very serious trouble indeed.”

Simpkin, of Gresley Walk, Lowedges, was handed an 18-month community order with 25 rehabilitation activity days.

Wyatt, of St Elizabeth Close, was handed a 24-month community order with 35 rehabilitation activity days.