Judge criticises 'malicious louts' who delayed paramedics trying to treat Sheffield dad after pub stabbing

The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, is the city’s most senior judge, and on Friday, November 25, 2022 he sentenced Bovic Mupolo to life imprisonment, to serve a minimum of 18 years, for murdering 26-year-old Macaulay Byrne on Boxing Day 2021.

As Judge Richardson was asked to dole out commendations to some of the police officers involved in the case, he said there had been a ‘marked lack of co-operation’ from witnesses present at the Gypsy Queen pub in Beighton when Mupolo, aged 21, inflicted fatal stab wounds upon Mr Byrne.

"When people do not co-operate it causes enormous difficulties. This was a serious incident, and the lack of co-operation was shocking,” Judge Richardson said.

He also praised the officers in the case for helping to secure the conviction of Mupolo under ‘difficult circumstances’.

Commenting on the emergency services response, Judge Richardson said those in attendance found themselves in a ‘shocking’ situation, and endeavoured to save Mr Byrne’s life and to deal with the incident in an ‘extremely’ professional manner.

Judge Richardson also referenced evidence heard in the trial from paramedics who said they were delayed in getting to Mr Byrne when they arrived on the scene due to the actions of an ‘angry mob’. One such paramedic was Catherine Gausden. In her statement, Ms Gausden said she and her colleague were stopped in their tracks by youths shouting and banging on their ambulance as they arrived and even after they entered the car park they could not get near the pub doors.

She added: “As I exited the vehicle to get equipment I was unable to do so because I was confronted by an angry mob and youths and I explained my colleague was inside and I needed to get inside.” Ms Gausden stated a police officer stood between her and the ‘mob’ and they were showered with broken glass before they got to Mr Byrne, who was bleeding profusely.”

Judge Richardson continued: “I cannot judge whether the delay that was occasioned there had a material effect, I suspect not. But the emergency services were prevented from acting as rapidly as they would wish to, as a result of the actions of individuals I can only describe as ‘malicious louts’.

Mupolo, of Fleury Rise, Gleadless, had denied killing Mr Byrne, who was a dad to five children, claiming he only learned of the injuries Mr Byrne suffered later on.

But jurors rejected Mupolo’s account when they found him guilty of Mr Byrne’s murder on Thursday, November 24 after around two days of deliberation.

It followed a trial at Sheffield Crown Court which started on November 8, and lasted just over two weeks.

As Mupolo was sent to begin his prison sentence, Judge Richardson issued a warning to those who carry knives.

He said: “This case demonstrates the dangers of individuals carrying knives and then involving themselves in a fight. The temptation to use the knife is so great that it overwhelms the individual. The knife is then used to devastating and often fatal effect. That is what happened here."