Sheffield Crown Court: Biggest cases this week, including hospital killer and knifepoint 'truth-or-dare'

Those sentenced over the last seven days include a man who killed a fellow inpatient on a hospital ward, a knife attacker who played a terrifying game of ‘truth or dare’ before stabbing a woman in the stomach, and a drug-fuelled pest who harassed his relatives and threatened to have a house fire-bombed.

Paul Franks: Booze-fuelled paedophile killed fellow hospital inpatient

A boozed-up convicted paedophile was sentenced to eight years in custody after he attacked and killed a fellow inpatient on a hospital ward.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how convicted paedophile Paul Franks, aged 48, of Cinderhill Lane, in Norton, Sheffield, rushed at fellow inpatient Paul Reed on a ward at Rotherham District General Hospital before putting him in a headlock and dropping him to the floor where he smashed his head.

Mr Reed was helped by staff, prosecuting barrister Richard Thyne QC told the court, but his condition deteriorated. A CT scan showed he had bleeding on the brain and he died the following morning.

Franks pleaded guilty to manslaughter after the attack on Mr Reeds on February 12 and his subsequent death in the early hours of the following day.

Mr Thyne said Franks has 16 previous convictions for 28 offences including assaults, theft, harassment, two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and two counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

Paul Reed’s father, Glynn Reed, described his son as a ‘gentle soul’ and said: “Our biggest regret is that Paul went into hospital to get better but he never got out.”

Michael Jones: thug played ‘truth or dare’ with partner at knifepoint before stabbing her in stomach

A boozed-up thug who played “truth-or-dare” at knifepoint with his terrified partner before stabbing her in the stomach was jailed for six years.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how Michael Jones, aged 40, struck his partner to the ground, pinned her down and hit and smothered her before subjecting her to a game of “truth-or-dare” and stabbing her.

Prosecuting barrister Kevin Jones said: “He put the knife to her chest and told her they were going to play a game of truth-or-dare. He had the knife and pointed it at her chest.

“He told her he would ask her a question and if she got it right the knife would stay where it was and if she got it wrong he would push it into her.”

When she asked him to let her go, he stabbed her in the abdomen, the court heard.

She required emergency surgery and a blood transfusion, and spent the best part of ten days in critical care.

Michael Jones, of Mendip Rise, Brinsworth, Rotherham, who has previous convictions including a violent incident against a previous partner, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after the attack on February 8, 2022.

The judge, Recorder Dan Kolinsky QC, told the defendant: “You put the knife to her and told her you were going to stab her in different positions to see which one would kill her and then you did stab her to the abdomen. This was a horrific assault over a sustained period of time.”

Recorder Kolinsky sentenced Michael Jones to six years of custody and made him subject to an indefinite restraining order to protect the complainant.

Dominic Hurst: Drug-fuelled pest harassed relatives and threatened to ‘have you shot or the house fire-bombed’

A “drug-fuelled” pest breached a restraining order by continuing to harass and threaten his relatives.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how Dominic Hurst, aged 33, of Whitehall Crescent, in Stocksbridge, Sheffield, was originally convicted of causing damage and threatening to cause damage concerning his relatives, as well as burgling a pharmacy.

Prosecuting barrister David Hewitt said Hurst had attended his auntie and grandparents’ address and made threats with an axe and he received a five-year restraining order in 2019 but between November 2021 and February 2022, he sent disturbing text messages to his auntie.

Mr Hewitt said: “The messages included references to carrying a gun or a knife and the defendant threatening to take an overdose and a text saying he had just smashed his house up.

"He also said if you ring the police I will have you shot or the house fire-bombed and the lads are ready.”

Hurst pleaded guilty in February to breaching his restraining order and was remanded into custody.

Judge Graham Reeds QC acknowledged Hurst’s remorse and that many references state that when the defendant is not intoxicated there is a calm, considerate side to him.

But he added that when Hurst is struggling with drugs and alcohol against a difficult emotional backdrop he makes the lives of relatives unbearable.

He sentenced Hurst to 12 months of custody subject to the three-and-half months he had already spent remanded in prison.

Mirjan Petku and Rexhep Petku: Cousins caught looking after large cannabis harvest

Two illegal immigrant cousins were jailed after they were caught looking after a large cannabis harvest.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how cousins and Albanian nationals Mirjan Petku, aged 25, and Rexhep Petku, 22, were found with 49 cannabis plants and 12 seedling cannabis plants in a house on Woodhouse Green, Thurcroft, Rotherham.

Mirjan Petku, who has a previous conviction, and Rexhep Petku, who has no previous convictions, both pleaded guilty to producing the Class B drug cannabis.

Judge Graham Reeds QC said: “This was an operation capable of producing cannabis on a commercial scale. Two rooms were converted and given over to cannabis production.

“The electricity supply had been by-passed and there had inevitably been much financial outlay to set up this operation.”

Judge Reeds sentenced Mirjan Petku to two years and 10 months of custody and he sentenced Rexhep Petku to two years of custody.

He also told both defendants that upon their release they will each be liable to be deported as foreign criminals.

Matthew Ashmore: Thug assaulted man in ‘revenge’ attack on street in front of shocked onlookers

A judge told a thug he cannot take the law into his own hands after he assaulted a man in the street in what he believed was a revenge attack.

Matthew Ashmore, aged 39, of Furnace Lane, Woodhouse, Sheffield, punched the man after his victim had just left his home. Ashmore put him in a headlock, banged him against railings and kicked him, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

Prosecuting barrister Stuart Bell told the court that Ashmore had a perceived grievance against the complainant and when he saw him he followed him and attacked him in the street in Sheffield.

The judge, Recorder Dan Kolinsky QC, told Ashmore: “It was a prolonged and persistent assault. It was witnessed by members of the public including a 13-year-old girl.”

Ashmore believed the man had committed an offence which the authorities have not pursued and which cannot be outlined for legal reasons.

Ashmore, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm after the incident about 1.30pm, on August 30, 2021.

Recorder Kolinsky sentenced Ashmore to 16 months of custody and made him subject to a five-year restraining order to protect the complainant.