Gas mask wearing eccentric lying in wait for bailiffs caused major incident with fake grenades on washing line
“This was a serious incident…you were exceedingly stupid and caused an enormous amount of upset and cost to the public purse”
A major incident, causing eight hours of disruption in Sheffield, was declared after a gas mask wearing eccentric rigged up plastic grenades tied to a washing line as he lay in wait for bailiffs.
After failing to pay his gas and electric bills, Steven Budzisewski was informed that bailiff officers acting on behalf of his utility company would be attending at his flat, located on Washington Road in the Sharrow area of Sheffield.
After Budzisewski failed to answer the door to the officers, they looked through the letter box and were met with a sight that led to a mass evacuation and huge emergency services response, costing the taxpayers thousands of pounds.
Describing what happened next, The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, said: “They could see through the letter box a variety of items that looked like a washing line with grenades of one sort or another tied to it.
“You were seen inside the flat, behaving in what can only be described as in a bizarre fashion.
“You were wearing a gasmask, stating to the officers: ‘Come on you b*****ds, I’m going to do you, I’m going to kill you’.”
Budzisewski’s behaviour left the officers puzzled, with one even finding the situation “laughable,” the Sheffield Crown Court hearing, held on June 29, 2026, was told.
“But they were notwithstanding…particularly concerned when you uttered the threats you did. In consequence of which, police were called,” Judge Richardson told Budzisewski.
He continued: “Everybody had to take the threats seriously. They did not know the items were plastic.
“Not one of them could have exploded.
“The Ministry of Defence and the army were called. A cordon was established and homes were evacuated. Buses were diverted and ambulances were put on standby.
“37 extra officers were brought to the scene…it was declared a major incident for eight hours while the truth was established.
“In effect, what was in the house was a series of fake plastic grenades. In addition you had a New York transit system uniform, a London Underground uniform and various maps.”
Prosecutor Curtis Dunkley told the court that the emergency service response to the incident, which unfolded on March 18, 2026, cost the taxpayer an estimated £10,037.
Budzisewski, of Washington Road, Sharrow, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to charges of affray and intentionally/recklessly causing a public nuisance at earlier hearings.
Defending, Richard Adams described Budzisewski as a “collector of curiosities” and as someone who is a “little eccentric.”
Mr Adams noted that one of Budzisewski’s curiosities which was missing from the list read out in court was a “Mario Kart helmet” bearing a big “M” on it.
“He uses them primarily for his artworks,” Mr Adams said, adding that Budzisewski donates his artwork to charities, including Help for Heroes, to be used in fundraising auctions.
Responding to this point in mitigation, Judge Richardson asked Mr Adams: “What on earth was he doing threatening the bailiffs or whatever they are?”
Mr Adams suggested Budzisewski, aged 56, did not believe he would be taken seriously and even used a “fake cockney accent” when threatening the officers.
Budzisewski, said Mr Adams, also sought to explain the items were fake once the emergency services response was in motion, but the court heard how his threats had to be taken seriously for the eight hours it took for the truth to be established.
Jailing Budzisewski for 18 months, Judge Richardson told him: “It must be made clear that anybody indulging in this form of stupidity, creating a public nuisance in the way this case has demonstrated, must expect and will receive an appropriate level of sentence.
“Which will almost certainly be a sentence of immediate custody.”
He added: “This was a serious incident…you were exceedingly stupid and caused an enormous amount of upset and cost to the public purse.
“You must be punished for this stupidity, it was stupidity of a very high level. It amounted to criminal conduct. This case warrants an immediate custodial sentence.”
Judge Richardson also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of Budzisewski’s fake plastic grenades.
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