Judges at Sheffield Crown Court and Leeds Crown Court have handed the offenders pictured here prison sentences totalling 348 years, four months.
South Yorkshire Police have also responded to what Detective Superintendent Paul Murphy describes as a ‘slight increase’ in firearms discharges in early 2021 by setting up an ‘armed crime team’.
Det Supt Murphy said the team has recently brought a number of criminals to justice including a trio sentenced to 60 years for a double-shooting on the Manor estate.
The force has also sought to reduce gun violence in the city through its Operation Musketeer, through which undercover officers have targeted known drug lines in the city.
Launched last year, Det Supt Murphy said the operation was predicated on the ‘increase in violence and firearms discharges which predominantly do link to the drugs trade’ and organised crime groups, and has so far resulted in the conviction of at least 27 criminals.
Det Supt Murphy said the team has recently brought a number of criminals to justice including a trio sentenced to 60 years for a double-shooting on the Manor estate.
![Sheffield Crown Court heard on January 12 how Asad Khalid, of Coalbrook Avenue, Rotherham, had traded with heroin and cocaine and Glock guns and had been dealing with organised criminal gangs across Sheffield, the Midlands and London. Khalid, who ran a bakery business in Rotherham was also found to have a pistol and cartridges in a flat above one of his shops, according to Judge Wright. Khalid was sentenced to 18 years of custody.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjk0OWY0ZWVlLTlmOGUtNDY2MC05ZmI1LTU0Zjc4ODkxN2QyZDozNjcwMzQ4OC03MzRmLTRmODktYWJhYy0wNDFjZTI2NDUwOTI=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
5. Asad Khalid: Jailed for 18 years after being found with pistol and cartridges in flat above his shop
Sheffield Crown Court heard on January 12 how Asad Khalid, of Coalbrook Avenue, Rotherham, had traded with heroin and cocaine and Glock guns and had been dealing with organised criminal gangs across Sheffield, the Midlands and London. Khalid, who ran a bakery business in Rotherham was also found to have a pistol and cartridges in a flat above one of his shops, according to Judge Wright. Khalid was sentenced to 18 years of custody. Photo: SYP
![Anthony MacBean, aged 54, of Gell Street, Broomhall, Sheffield, was jailed after firing an imitation firearm on a street in the middle of the city. Sheffield Crown Court heard on November 18 how MacBean was with other people when he discharged the blank-firing starting pistol into the air. He was sentenced to eight months of custody.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjQ0ODdlODE5LWEwYzEtNDhlYy1iZmJjLTYzY2VmNWUyM2I4ZTpjODZjZjVmNC04ZmEzLTQ3NjgtYjk1MC1iNDc2ZDkwYzg3NGU=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
6. Anthony MacBean: Eight months' custody for firing imitation firearm in city centre street
Anthony MacBean, aged 54, of Gell Street, Broomhall, Sheffield, was jailed after firing an imitation firearm on a street in the middle of the city. Sheffield Crown Court heard on November 18 how MacBean was with other people when he discharged the blank-firing starting pistol into the air. He was sentenced to eight months of custody. Photo: SYP
![Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 8 how Carl Phillips, of Wesley Avenue, Aston, Sheffield, shot his victim in the left leg and shot the front of the victim’s car after a meeting had been arranged to hand over an alleged £2,500 debt owed for plastering work.
Phillips was sentenced to 12 years and nine months of custody during a hearing held in Sheffield Crown Court in 2021.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjY4YmU2ZmIxLWE5ODgtNGRmMy1iZDc1LTc0YmJkYWYwYWZhNzpkNzYwYzUwNy02OTJlLTQzMTEtODg4Ny1jNzZhODZmNjE3ZGI=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
7. Carl Phillips: 12 years' custody for thug who shot victim in the leg
Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 8 how Carl Phillips, of Wesley Avenue, Aston, Sheffield, shot his victim in the left leg and shot the front of the victim’s car after a meeting had been arranged to hand over an alleged £2,500 debt owed for plastering work. Phillips was sentenced to 12 years and nine months of custody during a hearing held in Sheffield Crown Court in 2021. Photo: SYP
![In April 2018, Matthew Cohen, Dale Gordon and Keil Bryan were each jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 30 years, for murdering Aseel Al-Essaie in a drive-by shooting carried out on Daniel Hill, Upperthorpe in February 2017. The trio were found guilty following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court, on the basis that Mr Al-Essaie was killed as part of a joint enterprise.
The court heard how Mr Al-Essaie was shot at point-blank range as he sat alone in a stationary white Mercedes on Daniel Hill, Upperthorpe.
It is unclear who fired the fatal shot, which did not need to be proven in order to return a guilty verdict, but Cohen is believed to have been the driver of the VW Golf vehicle used in the shooting.
Left to right: Cohen; Gordon; Bryan](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmRjMWI1N2JhLTJiMzctNDcxNC04N2FhLTdhNTJkNjg2ODNlMTozZjBiMWNkYy04MTIxLTQ1ZDMtYjQ5OC0yMTdjZWJjOGEwNTI=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
8. Matthew Cohen, Dale Gordon and Keil Bryan: Jailed for 90 years for murdering man in drive-by shooting
In April 2018, Matthew Cohen, Dale Gordon and Keil Bryan were each jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 30 years, for murdering Aseel Al-Essaie in a drive-by shooting carried out on Daniel Hill, Upperthorpe in February 2017. The trio were found guilty following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court, on the basis that Mr Al-Essaie was killed as part of a joint enterprise. The court heard how Mr Al-Essaie was shot at point-blank range as he sat alone in a stationary white Mercedes on Daniel Hill, Upperthorpe. It is unclear who fired the fatal shot, which did not need to be proven in order to return a guilty verdict, but Cohen is believed to have been the driver of the VW Golf vehicle used in the shooting. Left to right: Cohen; Gordon; Bryan Photo: SYP