Reveller chased out of Sheffield nightclub by angry mob after stabbing, court hears

Ryan Heeley was thrown out of Hex, off Queen's Road, by door staff at around 2am, on May 27, followed by a "hostile" group of men and woman, prosecutor Ian Goldsack told Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday.

He got into a red Ford which was surrounded by clubgoers, and the car was seen driving forward, pausing, and then reversing, at high speed, before it collided with the woman "who was sent flying," Mr Goldsack said.

Police arrived and blocked off the car park, trapping Heeley, who was dragged from the car by a group of men. Two officers saw that Heeley's clothing was torn and he had facial injuries from being punched and kicked. They overheard one man shout: "He's just drove over my sister and he's run her over."

"The defendant kicked out at an officer who was trying to protect him," said Mr Goldsack. "The scene was chaotic with threats being made."

The court heard the same officer was "sucker-punched" from behind, and Heeley tried to escape before he was finally caught.

"By this stage he had lost his upper clothing and was sweating," Mr Goldsack said, adding that Heeley spat in an officer's face and kicked out.

His victim was treated at Northern General Hospital for cuts and bruises. In a statement, she said: "I am really shaken by what has happened. I feel like it may affect me from going out in the future."

The court heard Heeley, 30, of Bransby Street, Sheffield, admitted dangerous driving, GBH, and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, before he was due to be tried.

He has previous convictions from 2003 and 2012.

Andrew Smith, mitigating, said "Ryan is not a thug who is out for trouble at any opportunity. He was somewhat fearful of his position. There is no evidence that he was culpable for what happened in the club."

He said that a mixture of "temper, confusion and fear" made Barber behave in an "appalling manner to those police officers."

Recorder Anthony Kelbrick told Heeley, who appeared via a video-link from HMP Doncaster: "A custodial sentence is the only way of dealing with this case."

He handed Heeley a total of 22 months, less the time he has already served on remand, and banned him from driving for 29 months.