'Cowardly' killer who refused to attend court to be sentenced for killing Sheffield dad may never be released

‘An act of cowardice’

The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, adjourned Jermaine Richards’ initial sentencing hearing for the murder of David Ford on Thursday, April 20, after Richards refused to attend court.

Despite being given a second chance to acknowledge his horrific crimes and face Mr Ford’s loved ones in court, Richards still failed to attend the rescheduled Sheffield Crown Court hearing today (Monday, April 24, 2023), when Judge Richardson sentenced him to life imprisonment in his absence.

Judge Richardson told the court: “I regard the refusal of the defendant to attend court to be an act of cowardice. His arrogance is also demonstrated by this conduct.”

Judge Richardson also stated that given Richards’ ‘enduring violent and dangerous nature’ he was 'not prepared to endanger the lives of prison officers to secure his attendance' by exercising the powers available to him.

Heroic father and son tried to stop ‘volatile’ and ‘violent’ Richards

Mr Ford was killed following a confrontation with Richards near to Cricket Inn Road between 5am and 6am on September 3, 2022. Mr Ford’s son, Ryan, was also subjected to a 'deliberate' and 'violent' beating during the incident, which left him with a serious brain injury.

Richards had sought to deny his guilt, but jurors found him guilty of Mr Ford’s murder, and of an additional charge of wounding with intent relating to the injuries inflicted upon Ryan Ford, at the conclusion of a trial at Sheffield Crown Court in March 2023. Richards, aged 31, of Wordsworth Drive, Sheffield also admitted to further charges of criminal damage prior to the commencement of the trial.

The court was told how in the moments before the fatal incident, David and Ryan Ford had met up to go on one of their regular fishing trips, and encountered Richards who was attempting to flee after causing £2,400 worth of damage to the security desk at Castle Hill Flats in the Hyde Park area of the city, before going on to damage a BMW vehicle in the car park of the complex.

“After the defendant had damaged the car it appears he ran down towards Cricket Inn Road and jumped over a wall. I am satisfied that David and Ryan Ford wanted to make some attempt to prevent him from either getting away or damaging other cars,” Judge Richardson said.

It was after the heroic father and son attempted to prevent Richards from making his escape that Richards subjected Ryan Ford to a beating, before stealing David Ford's Kia vehicle and initially driving away.

“The defendant drove towards the city centre and turned around returning to the junction where Ryan Ford was seriously injured. The car was away from the junction where David and Ryan Ford remained for about 30 seconds. David Ford was standing near to an electricity box and the pedestrian traffic lights on the pavement. The car, driven by the defendant, approached the junction and then paused for a short while.

“The defendant then deliberately drove the car at David Ford aiming for him whilst he was on the pavement in the vicinity of the electricity box. I have no doubt whatsoever that the defendant took aim at David Ford. The CCTV plainly reveals this,” Judge Richardson said, as he summarised the facts of the case.

He continued: “I have not a shred of doubt the defendant was using the car as a weapon – indeed he was using David Ford’s own car, of which the defendant had unlawful possession, to cause his really serious injuries.”

Richards drove off, but returned to the scene in the stolen Kia vehicle once more and mounted the pavement. Judge Richardson said it was ‘possible’ that Richards drove over part of David Ford as he lay dying on the pavement, but added the evidence was ‘equivocal as to whether he did’.

Judge Richardson continued: “He suffered these injuries and died some while later despite the best efforts of the paramedics and medical staff.

“I shall not overlook the fact that Ryan Ford witnessed the cruel murder of his father when he was deliberately run-over by the defendant.”

‘The defendant is replete with habitual violence’

Richards has a number of relevant previous convictions relating to violence, the court was told, including robbery, kidnapping and multiple offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, the latter of which referred to an incident in which Richards attacked his partner and then assaulted an elderly couple when they tried to intervene.

“It is plain the defendant is replete with habitual violence. It is equally plain that when something displeases him, his natural and habitual response is to react with violence. This feature of ingrained reactive violence is a key component of his character and psychological profile. It is deeply ingrained. He is, in my judgment, an exceptionally volatile and dangerous man,” Judge Richardson said.

He said a ‘severe’ punishment was required in order to protect the public from Richards and jailed him for life, to serve a minimum of 26 years behind bars, and said that in addition to being a ‘dangerous man’ he was also a ‘comprehensively inadequate individual’.

Judge Richardson continued: “I have my doubts whether it will ever be safe to release him. If that time should ever come, I trust the most vigorous examination of him is undertaken in order to assess whether he is safe to return to ordinary everyday life.”