Booze-fuelled Sheffield thug is jailed after he attacked his former partner when she was pregnant

A booze-fuelled thug who attacked two former partners - including one who was pregnant with his child – has been put behind bars.
By Jon Cooper
Published 13th Apr 2022, 16:36 GMT
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Benn Smith, aged 33, of Ribston Place, Darnall, Sheffield, attacked the first pregnant partner in her Sheffield home and he attacked a subsequent partner in Derbyshire, according to a Sheffield Crown Court hearing.

Prosecuting barrister Stuart Bell told the hearing on April 11 that during the first incident Smith’s pregnant partner took his belongings to him while he was at a party and told him she did not want him to stay with her.

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But Smith followed her and forced his way into her home where he hit her in the stomach before repeatedly kicking and hitting her mother, according to Mr Bell.

Pictured is Benn Smith, aged 33, of Ribston Place, Darnall, Sheffield, who was sentenced to 33 months of custody after he pleaded guilty to three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault by beating, threatening to cause criminal damage, causing criminal damage and stalking.Pictured is Benn Smith, aged 33, of Ribston Place, Darnall, Sheffield, who was sentenced to 33 months of custody after he pleaded guilty to three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault by beating, threatening to cause criminal damage, causing criminal damage and stalking.
Pictured is Benn Smith, aged 33, of Ribston Place, Darnall, Sheffield, who was sentenced to 33 months of custody after he pleaded guilty to three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault by beating, threatening to cause criminal damage, causing criminal damage and stalking.

Judge Peter Kelson told Smith: “The Sheffield assaults are a dreadful episode. You were under the influence of drink and other things and the attack took place in the victim’s home.”

Smith, who has two previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after the Sheffield incident in August, 2020.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating against his subsequent partner in Derbyshire and he also admitted threatening to cause criminal damage, causing criminal damage and stalking.

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Mr Bell said Smith pushed this complainant in the back in May, 2021, and she hit her head on stairs and he slapped her. And on another occasion in November, 2021, he back-handed her, threw a lighter at her and pointed a knife at her.

Smith also threatened to burn down her flat and her mother’s flat. He also damaged a door and stalked this complainant with over 100 phone calls.

Ian Goldsack, defending, said Smith had been in long-term employment and had only recently started offending after he turned to alcohol and drugs following the deaths of his father, step-father and uncle.

Judge Peter Kelson QC said: “The bereavements are perhaps the trigger to all of this because they have brought about the excessive drinking – and the excessive drinking seems to have released the demons with you.”

He sentenced Smith to 33 months of custody and imposed a five-year restraining order to protect the complainants.