Sheffield Crown Court: 8 Sheffield criminals who have avoided immediate prison sentences so far this year

Sheffield criminals brought before the city’s Crown Court this year for everything from driving at a cyclist during a moment of ‘road rage’ to attacking a car with a lump hammer while his ex-partner and son were inside have avoided an immediate prison sentence.

Judges are required to consider a myriad of factors when imposing sentences upon defendants.

They must keep in mind the Sentencing Code, which states that the courts must follow any relevant sentencing guidelines, unless it is ‘contrary to the interests of justice to do so’.

The sentencing guidelines detail the minimum and maximum sentence that should be imposed for most criminal offences in the UK.

Judges also have to look at how many convictions a defendant has; how well they have adhered to any court orders that have previously been imposed and personal mitigation or circumstances such as how many dependants a defendant has, and what would happen to them should they be sent to prison.

They must also have regard for how responsible, or ‘culpable,’ a defendant was for the crime they have either admitted to or been found guilty of; and need to consider the level of harm caused to the victim, or ‘complainant,’ in the case.

In addition, they must decide whether a defendant has a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, and they do, if the community would be better served by the defendant completing unpaid work or a rehabilitation activity requirement.

With that in mind, we have put together a list of the Sheffield defendants who have avoided an immediate prison sentence this year, and the circumstances of each case.

1, Stephen Maloney

The 36-year-old had been an assistant accountant with Status Investments Ltd, of Abbeydale Hall, on Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, when he committed two counts of fraud between May, 2011, and November, 2015.

During a hearing at Sheffield Crown Court on March 2, Stephanie Hollis, prosecuting, said Maloney’s overall fraudulent transactions totaled £98,693 and this included thousands of pounds taken from Status’s subsidiary company The Nose Ltd into Maloney’s bank account.

During a police interview, Maloney, formerly of Gerald Road, Kendray, Barnsley, said he had an addiction to online pornography which had put him in debt.

Amy Earnshaw, defending, said Maloney had paid £55,000 back to the company and these payments had only stopped when he had been trying to ascertain the exact outstanding amount but that was when the police became involved.

She added Maloney had been in a difficult relationship and he had begun using online pornography and he developed an addiction.

Recorder Angela Frost sentenced Maloney to 20 months of custody suspended for two years with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Read the full story here.

2, Darren Johnston

Sheffield Crown Court heard on February 21 how Darren Johnston, aged 45, of Abbey Lane, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to 12 offences relating to his telecommunication companies between 2011 and 2015.

Judge Michael Slater told Johnston: “You fall to be sentenced for a number of offences in respect of your dishonest conduct against Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs between 2011 and 2015 which culminated in a benefit to you of over just £414,000.”

But Judge Slater also told Johnston it was to his credit that he has since paid all the money he owed in various taxes to the HMRC after he had illegally avoided paying them at the time they were due.

Defence barrister Kevin Hegarty described the offending as a ‘home made creation’ that had not involved lawyers and accountants and it has become a ‘real black mark’ against Mr Johnston’s career.

Mr Hegarty said father-of-two Johnston suffers with a vascular malformation and his offending has played a part in the breakdown of his marriage and he has expressed genuine remorse.

Judge Slater sentenced Johnston to 18 months of custody suspended for two years with 200 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement.

Read the full story here.

3, Tanveer Ahmed

A judge told Tanveer Ahmed that he had “escaped prison by a very narrow margin” after he deliberately drove into a cyclist in a moment of ‘road rage’.

During a hearing held on February 17, Sheffield Crown Court was told how in the minutes leading up to the assault, the cyclist encountered defendant Ahmed while Ahmed was driving his car on Sharrow Vale Road, Sharrow.

"He [the cyclist] thought he had right of way and went around Mr Ahmed… he then realised Mr Ahmed was driving right up behind him, driving six inches away from his back,” prosecution barrister Tom Heath told the court.

A short time later, the cyclist caught up with Ahmed while he was waiting in traffic at Hunter’s Bar roundabout and tapped on his wing mirror.

“The cyclist carried on and the lights changed and Mr Ahmed came past and was revving his engine again,” said Mr Heath.

In a bid to get away from Ahmed, the cyclist turned into Neill Road, Sharrow, but was pursued by Ahmed.

Mr Heath said: "He tried to get in between two parked cars, and as he did, he saw Ahmed drive into the back of his bike, flinging him on to the tarmac.”

The cyclist was left with an injury to his right shin which required four stitches, a back injury, and fairly substantial grazes to his bottom, following the incident on August 8, 2019.

Probation officer Linda McCuish interviewed Ahmed for a pre-sentence report. She said: “He said that at the time he was having some family concerns and said he was feeling shocked by what had happened during this altercation.”

The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson QC, sentenced Ahmed to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years; 250 hours of unpaid work; a three-month curfew; a 10-session rehabilitation activity requirement and ordered him to pay £1,000 in compensation, after hearing Ahmed earns around the same sum per month.

Read the full story here.

4, Esam Harash

An undercover sting that led to the conviction of Esam Harash, 28, was carried out between February and March last year, during which time two officers called a known drugs line, known as a ‘speedy line,’ on three separate occasions asking to buy drugs.

During a sentencing hearing held on February 11 this year, Sheffield Crown Court was told how Harash sold three wraps of crack cocaine to one undercover officer who called the ‘speedy line’ after directing them to the window of a property on Preston Street, Lowfield.

A second undercover officer bought three wraps of heroin from the defendant at the same address on March 23, 2021.

Defending, Eunice Aupaire-Addo, said Harash was an entrenched drug addict who had been taking drugs since the age of 21.

She said he had helped with the speedy line under duress, after building up a drug debt and being subjected to violence and threats.

After hearing that Harash had complied well with a three-month drug rehabilitation order prior to sentence, Judge Roger Thomas QC, said he was minded to give Harash a chance to turn things around.

He sentenced him to 18 months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and ordered him to complete another drug rehabilitation order, as well as a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Read the full story here.

5, Nathan Buchanan

Sheffield Crown Court heard on January 24 how Nathan Buchanan, aged 31, who has been living at the Salvation Army Hostel, on Charter Row, Sheffield, sold crack cocaine from a property after a deal had been arranged by phone with an undercover police officer.

Stephen Grattage, prosecuting, said Buchanan was a participant in a commercial drugs “Speedy Line” operation where drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine, could be ordered by phone and sold.

Buchanan, who pleaded guilty to supplying crack cocaine after the incident in March, 2021, told police he started using the drug and became homeless after a relationship breakdown.

Richard Adams, defending, said roofer Buchanan has always worked but he is currently sofa-surfing.

Judge Roger Thomas QC told Buchanan: “In previous years you have made something of your life but in the last couple of years things have gone awry for you and you have started taking drugs which led you into this case."

Judge Thomas sentenced Buchanan to an 18 month community order with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and a Drug Rehabilitation Requirement.

Read the full story here.

6, Shees Mehmood, Zeeshan Mehmood and Liam Walker

Sheffield Crown Court heard on January 20 how Shees Mehmood, Zeeshan Mehmood and Liam Walker all admitted affray after a fracas inside and outside the Desi Grill takeaway on Worksop Road, Attercliffe, Sheffield.

Daniel Penman, prosecuting, said police responded to reports of males fighting, including a group from Teeside, with Walker and the Mehmoods who worked at the takeaway.

Mr Penman added Walker was armed with a bottle, Shees Mehmood had a stick and Zeeshan Mehmood had another implement and items were thrown.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said: “There was a difference of opinion about how you were each being treated. It was an idiotic argument that erupted and it may well have stemmed from regional differences.”

Shees Mehmood, aged 28, of Earl Marshal Road, Firvale, Sheffield, who has no previous convictions; Zeeshan Mehmood, 25, of Newman Court, Wincobank, Sheffield, who has previous convictions and refuse worker Walker, 26, of Alderlea, Middlesbrough, who has one previous conviction, all pleaded guilty to affray after the incident on October 22, 2019.

Judge Richardson sentenced Zeeshan Mehmood and Walker to 10 months of custody suspended for two years with a rehabilitation requirement and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Shees Mehmood was also sentenced to 10 months of custody suspended for two years but he was not made subject to community-based activities because of his previous good character and poor health.

Read the full story here.

7, Negus Roberts

Sheffield Crown Court heard on January 5 how Negus Roberts, aged 37, of Andover Street, Burngreave, Sheffield, was followed by a police vehicle after he was seen racing in a WW Golf against another motorist in an Audi S3 on Tinsley Viaduct.

Amy Earnshaw, prosecuting, said police spotted the two cars driving at speed and the police accelerated to 100mph to close the gap on the defendant’s vehicle.

Ms Earnshaw added the VW Golf went through red traffic lights as it reached a roundabout and subsequently went through another set of red traffic lights leading to Shepcote Lane while driving at high speed.

Former security guard Roberts told police after he stopped that he had been stupid and reckless and he had not been thinking.

The defendant, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after the incident on April 3, 2021.

Richard Adams, defending, said the incident had taken place in a non-residential area and it had not been planned or arranged and he had not tried to evade the police.

Read the full story here.

8, Andrew Hayes

Sheffield Crown Court heard how Andrew Hayes, aged 33, of Fishponds Road West, Richmond, Sheffield, attacked his ex-partner’s Seat Leon vehicle with her and their son inside as she arrived to collect their three youngsters.

Beverley Wright, prosecuting, said their four-year-old son got into the vehicle and the complainant drove on and saw where the other children were playing as Hayes approached her with a lump hammer.

Ms Wright said the couple had previously argued on social media and on the phone.

She said: “He had a lump hammer in his hand and approached the vehicle with the two of them in it and smashed the bonnet.”

The complainant described the child in the car as being terrified and screaming, according to Ms Wright, before Hayes smashed the car windscreen covering them both in glass and pulled on the door handles.

Ms Wright said that as the complainant got out Hayes punched her to the ribs.

Hayes pleaded guilty to affray, causing criminal damage and to assault by beating after the incident on June 16.

Judge Michael Slater sentenced Hayes to 16 months of custody suspended for two years and ordered him to complete a rehabilitation activity and a ‘building better relationships’ programme.

He also imposed an indefinite restraining order and ordered Hayes to pay £4,218.04 in compensation and prosecution costs.

Read the full story here.