Sheffield Crown Court: The criminals locked up this week for offences including burglary and grievous bodily harm

Andrew Coy, Andrew Cross, Shabaz Ismail, Musfer Jabbar: Burglary gang tracked down by take-away phone order from crime scene

Four men have been jailed for over 31 years for burglary and firearm offences over the incident at Hardy’s Gunsmiths on Alderson Road, Sheffield, at around 12.50am on Friday April 3, 2020 and a quantity of firearms and ammunition were taken.

After an extensive, two-year investigation that included multiple warrants and meticulous CCTV checks, officers were able to determine that Musfer Jabbar, Shabaz Ismail, Andrew Coy and Andrew Cross were responsible.

CCTV from the area showed a distinct vehicle that turned out to be rented by 35-year-old Coy. Checks showed the vehicle being driven by Coy, to and from the scene of the burglary in company with Cross, 40, loaded with stolen items to a property on Wharncliffe Avenue. The occupant of that property, a 34-year-old woman, was sentenced in November 2020 for handling stolen goods.

Ismail, 22, and Jabbar, 22, stayed in the shop but enquiries and CCTV showed Jabbar making a phone call. Phone checks confirmed that he was placing an order with a local takeaway for two lamb burger meals and this crucially placed them at the scene of the burglary.

To date, almost half of the firearms stolen have been successfully recovered with some in West Yorkshire and London. Enquiries are on-going into the remaining firearms still missing and anyone with information is asked to get in touch.

Cross, of Frog Walk, Sheffield, pleaded guilty at trial to burglary, possession of firearm without a certificate and possession of a firearm when prohibited and jailed for nine years. Coy, of Wood Road, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to burglary and possession of a firearm without a certificate and was jailed for five years and 10 months. Ismail, of Glover Road, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to burglary, possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of a firearm without a certificate and other weapon and drug offences relating to other matters and jailed for eight years and one month. Jabar, of no fixed address, was found guilty of burglary, possession of a firearm without a certificate and possession with intent to supply class A drugs and jailed for nine years.

The group were all sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday, December 15, 2022.

Nour Rasoli: Drug-plagued Sheffield thug smashed neighbour over the head with table leg

Nour Rasoli, aged 34, of Exeter Place, Broomhall, Sheffield, attacked his victim as the complainant was lying on a bed in his own flat. After breaking the leg off a wooden coffee table, Rasoli repeatedly hit him over his head and struck his left wrist, a Sheffield Crown Court hearing heard.

Prosecuting barrister, Anthony Dunne, told the hearing on December 14 that the victim was seen running from his own flat on Exeter Place with his head bleeding as the defendant continued to strike his back. He escaped to a phone box and called the police.

Judge Rachael Harrison told Rasoli: “You aimed blows to his head. When he tried to defend himself by putting his arm up, you hit that with the leg. You fractured his wrist and caused a gash to his head as well as other cuts.”

Police found the complainant at his block of flats with blood on his face and clothes and cradling his left wrist. He was heard to repeat the words: ‘I cannot live here anymore’, Mr Dunne said.

The court heard how the complainant was treated by officers before he was taken to hospital in an ambulance with an eight-centimetre gash to the front of his head and a fractured left wrist.Rasoli, who has four previous convictions for five offences including possessing a bladed article, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm after the attack on May 18, this year.

Defence barrister Richard Barradell said: “As a young man he fled Afghanistan. He has no previous convictions for violence, however I accept he has possessed a knife.

“There is a drink and drug background but since his remand he has detoxified.”

Judge Rachael Harrison sentenced Rasoli to 18 months of custody.

Steven Bellamy: Paedophile back behind bars after he was caught with indecent images of children again

Sheffield Crown Court heard on December 14 how previously convicted Steven Bellamy’s former home in Rotherham was raided by police who seized two phones and discovered he had accessed extreme pornographic images including indecent images of children.

Prosecuting barrister Zaiban Alam said further checks revealed Bellamy had used a ‘Tor Browser’ to help hide his digital activity and there was evidence on Google Drive that he had shared a document and had discussed exchanging pornographic images of children.

Judge Rachael Harrison told Bellamy: “You are 32-years of age. You pleaded guilty to possession of category A, possession of category B, and possession of category C images as well as possession of a prohibited image of a child, and installing a Tor Browser on your computer in breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.”

Ms Alam explained Bellamy had previously been convicted at Derby Crown Court of making and distributing indecent images of children and he had received a 28-month custodial term and a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order preventing him from using any internet device that would hide his digital activity.

Bellamy, now of Orchard Close, at Hilton, Derby, admitted breaching the SHPO by using a Tor Browser, and he admitted making 16 category A, 16 category B, and 23 category C indecent images of children – with A being the most serious – as well as making 14 prohibited images.

Defence barrister Stuart Bell said: “He is desperate not to go back to prison and he has been having treatment for depression and anxiety.”

He added that qualified electrician Bellamy, who lost a Tesco customer service job because of his offending, is being supported by his partner and he is having counselling to address his issues.

Judge Harrison sentenced Bellamy to two years and two months of custody.

Liam Taffinder: Sheffield burglar with 'terrible criminal history' is jailed again for his latest offences

Sheffield Crown Court heard on December 13 how Liam Taffinder, aged 41, of Binsted Road, near Wadsley Bridge, Sheffield, struck at a home on his road, on October 6; at a property on Parson Cross Road, Sheffield, on October 8 and at another one on Halliwell Crescent, near Southey Green, Sheffield, between October 7 and 10.

Stephanie Hollis, prosecuting, said Taffinder also stole a Ford vehicle belonging to the occupants of the property he targeted on Binsted Road and a Mercedes vehicle from the owner living at Parson Cross Road.He assaulted two police officers when he was arrested on October 12.

Defence barrister Ed Moss said: “These burglaries are committed with no planning whatsoever. This is a drug addict roaming the streets who takes an opportunity. They are purely opportunistic burglaries.”

Ms Hollis explained an occupant at the Binsted Road property woke in the morning to find her family home had been raided with cupboards searched, drawers opened and property strewn across the hallway, and their Ford vehicle was missing.

She added the occupant at the Parson Cross Road property had also woken to find his home had been raided and wallets, credit cards, electronic games, and tennis racquets had been taken as well as a Mercedes vehicle.

Taffinder also forced his way into a property on Halliwell Crescent through a kitchen window and searched cupboards and stole jewellery including earrings of sentimental value that had belonged to a great grandmother, Ms Hollis said.

Ms Hollis said police identified Taffinder from CCTV and when he was arrested he grabbed a police officer by her arm and pushed her before he barged past another officer who was also injured during a scuffle. Taffinder, who has 50 offences to his name including burglaries, pleaded guilty to the three burglaries, two car thefts and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

Edward Moss, defending, said Taffinder had tried to get away from his criminality in Sheffield and he had moved to Shrewsbury to be with a new partner.

But Mr Moss added: “The relationship ended and as a result he became homeless - and it was not as a result of criminality - and he was homeless and came back to his home town and without an income found himself in the cycle he had been in for years and years.”

The judge, Recorder Kama Melly KC, sentenced Taffinder to three years of custody