Jail for Sheffield woman with "appalling" record of 194 criminal convictions to her name
“You knew exactly what you were doing and that you shouldn’t be doing it.”
A woman with an “appalling” criminal record of 194 offences has been jailed.
Chantelle Sykes, of Pollard Crescent, Parson Cross, has convictions for offences including harassment, carrying a knife, making threats, arson, criminal damage, and is subject to an indefinite restraining order not to visit Tesco on Fargate.
A criminal behaviour order (CBO) also bans her from carrying anything that can start a fire, visiting Sheffield Interchange, or being in the company of another woman known to police.
However, Sheffield Crown Court heard on July 29 how the 32-year-old did all this anyway in a spree between April and June this year, breaching her order five times.
Mr Recorder Simon Eckersley: “This is persistent behaviour with deliberate acts.
“You knew exactly what you were doing and that you shouldn’t be doing it.”
Sykes’ CBO includes a ban on entering or going near Tesco on Fargate or being in the company of a specific woman known to police.
Nevertheless, the 32-year-old, along with the other woman, visited the shop on two occasions on April 29 and May 21 and loitered outside while her companion bought items inside.
On the occasion in May, the duo returned an hour later to verbally abuse security staff as they walked past.
Sykes also pleaded guilty to an incident on June 9 when she threw a container of rice over a police car - something she also has previous convictions for, after vandalising an SYP Sprinter van in 2022.
Later that day, Sykes also forced the door of a commercial property on East Parade, causing £300 in damage.
Finally, on the same day, Sykes was seen on CCTV entering Sheffield Interchange on Pond Street - again in the other woman’s company - where she was banned for previous offences as far back as 2018 such as breaking in and activating the fire alarm.
At this point, police arrested her. When searched, she was found carrying a knife and lighter - again, in breach of the CBO, following a conviction for arson attack in 2022 where she set fire to a bin outside the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority offices. When she was arrested on that occasion, she was also in possession of a knife.
Sykes pleaded guilty to possessing a knife, two counts of harassment, three breaches of a CBO, and two counts of criminal damage.
Her defence barrister, Mr Matthew Moore-Taylor, said Sykes does not carry the knives as weapons but to self-harm, lives with ADHD and a personality disorder, and struggles in prison as she is not allowed to work. He also detailed Sykes’ difficult upbringing.
Mr Eckersley said: “You have a quite frankly appalling record of offences.
“You have been sentenced for 194 offences - just pause, please, over how at your age you have 194 previous offences.
“You knew exactly what would happen if you breached this order, and once again you appear before a criminal court.
“I really hope you take the opportunity to break the cycle. And you should be grateful to your barrister, as I have reduced your sentence because of what he said.”
Sykes was jailed for 12 months.