Homeless offender threatened a man with a golf club in Sheffield after a dispute over £2

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard on September 23 how Marek Horvath, aged 39, of no fixed address, was seen by an off-duty police officer around Fargate, near Sheffield Cathedral, as the defendant had been behaving in a threatening manner with a golf club towards another homeless man outside a Poundland store.

Kirsty Pearson, prosecuting, said: “The defendant was acting in what was described as a threatening manner towards another homeless man.”

However, Ms Pearson added that Horvath was not seen to strike anyone after the incident on September 22 but he had raised the club.

The Slovakian defendant followed the man towards Sheffield Cathedral where a staff member from the Archer Project homeless charity took the club.

Horvath pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in public at Church Street and to using threatening behaviour.

Zawar Shah, defending, said Horvath had been homeless for most of the nine years he had been in England after he was exploited by others for his benefits.

Mr Shah added Horvath, who used the golf club as a walking stick, was owed £2 by the other homeless man.

Magistrates sentenced Horvath to a 12-month conditional discharge but warned if he re-offends he will be re-sentenced for these offences with any new crime.

Horvath was ordered to pay a £22 victim surcharge but this was deemed paid after he had been remanded in custody overnight.

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