21 killers have been sent to begin prison sentences during Sheffield Crown Court hearings held during the course of 2023.
Some of the individuals have been sentenced to life imprisonment at His Majesty's Pleasure, while others have received less substantial services. A number of defendants sought to deny their guilt, and stood trial at the same court.
Others admitted to their fatal crime, and consequently, received a decrease in the length of their sentence.
One of the defendants was just 12-years-old when he killed beloved grandmother, Marcia Grant, after he ran her over with her own car. He subsequently admitted to a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.
1. Killers sent to begin prison sentences at Sheffield Crown Court in 2023
Top row, left to right: Mark Nicholls; David Scott; Peshawa Ghaffour; Xander Howarth; Thomas Hardiman; Dereck Owusu; Louis James. Middle row, left to right: Andrew Hague; Yaqeen Arshad; Richard Sampson; Boe Barton; Kieran Hayes James Andrews. Bottom row, left to right: Jermaine Richards; Roland Sakanjako: Jake Elshaw; Leon Mathias; Jordan Lill; Mohammed Abdullah
2. Mark Nicholls
Mark Nicholls: Callous killer bludgeoned beloved mum-of-three to death with dumbbell Mark Nicholls, 43, has been told he will spend a minimum term of 17 years and six months behind bars after murdering ‘dearly loved’ 50-year-old Emily Sanderson. At around midday on Tuesday 30 May, 2023, the body of Emily, who was a mum-of-three was found by officers in the upstairs bedroom of a property on Crofton Avenue. A post mortem examination later concluded she died as a result of head injuries. A Sheffield Crown Court sentencing hearing held on October 6, 2023 was told that Nicholls bludgeoned Emily to death with a dumbbell. After pleading guilty to murdering Emily, Nicholls, of Crofton Avenue, Hillsborough was jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years and six months during the hearing in October 2023.
3. David Scott
On November 1, 2023 jurors found David Scott unanimously guilty of the murder of 49-year-old Sarah Brierley, whose body was found at her home in Skelton Close, Woodhouse on February 20, 2023. The extent of 'decomposition' suggested she is likely to have died some days earlier, the jury of seven women and five men have previously been told. Prosecutors believe Ms Brierley, also known as 'Queenie,' is likely to have been killed on February 14, 2023, at some point between 2.48pm - when Scott was left alone with Ms Brierley in her flat, and 1.08pm, the timestamp of a picture showing Ms Brierley's dead body with her head covered with a bin bag that was recovered from a phone used by Scott. During the course of the three-week trial, Sheffield Crown Court was told how a Home Office pathologist who examined Ms Brierley's body determined she had suffered severe injuries to her head, which had fractured the skull, and were consistent with being caused by multiple blows - at least five - with a blunt weapon inflicted with severe force. And on Thursday, November 2, 2023, Scott was brought to justice for the 'heartless' murder of Ms Brierley when Mr Justice Kerr sent him to begin a life sentence, and told him he must serve at least 29 years behind bars. Mr Justice Kerr told Scott: "You were supposed to be a friend of Ms Brierley's, you had been living with her...Ms Brierley trusted you to be alone with her in the flat, and you exploited and abused that trust. He said Scott, of Abbeyfield Road, Pitsmoor, Sheffield, had 'probably' killed Ms Brierley out of 'jealousy', after she 'professed' her love for his then-partner, Zoe Clark.
4. Peshawa Ghaffour
Mohammed Iqbal, aged 17, was found seriously injured on the main road through Crookes on May 25, 2023, shortly after 7pm. He died a short time later from the single stab wound, which was 12.5cm deep. Peshawa Ghaffour, aged 30, of Birkendale Road, Walkley, Sheffield was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment on November 24, 2023, after being found guilty of Mohammed Iqbal's manslaughter at the conclusion of a Sheffield Crown Court trial.