Sam De Stains: Jealous Sheffield man went on violent rampage after becoming drunk at child's birthday party

Sam De Stains flew into a jealous rage in the early hours of March 19, 2024 and attacked his life-long friend and his former partner, with whom he shares a daughter, after believing the pair had become romantically involved, Sheffield Crown Court heard. 

In addition to knocking them both unconscious during the assaults upon them, De Stains, aged 34, also cut his former partner - the second complainant - to the face with a piece of broken glass. 

A hearing held on August 6, 2024 heard that all three were present at a birthday party for the daughter of De Stains and the second complainant in the hours preceding the incident. 

The judge, Recorder Felicity Davies, told De Stains: “In the course of that event you appear to have become intoxicated and began causing problems and you threw a glass at [the first complainant].”

De Stain’s lifelong friend - the first complainant - subsequently agreed to give a number of people at the party including the second complainant, De Stains and children a lift home, prosecutor Brian Outhwaite told the court.  

Recorder Davies told De Stains: “It appears you became jealous, although your relationship with [the second complainant] was over. You believed she was in a relationship with [the first complainant] - not that it was any of your business. 

“But whilst you were all sharing a lift home - and indeed children were in the car - you began arguing with the second complainant, it became heated.”

Mr Outhwaite said the first complainant dropped De Stains, off first in a bid to calm matters; but tensions rose again when the second complainant realised her house key was missing, and she was taken to the first complainant’s house while she tried to find it and contacted De Stains to see if he had it. 

“You became angry, and then it took a film or video call of the first complainant in bed with his child to calm you down. 

“But unfortunately, the effects of that calming didn’t last long, because some time after midnight, you went to [the first complainant’s] house and smashed a window. He came down to see what was all the noise, to see you outside,” Recorder Davies said. 

The court heard how De Stains subsequently punched the complainant through the broken window. 

“But then, as he was tending to his crying child - no doubt distressed at the noise and trouble - you went into his house and attacked him from behind.”

“You kicked him, you kneed him in the eye, both when he had fallen over and wasn’t in a position to properly defend himself,” Recorder Davies said. 

She said the second complainant witnessed this assault, and De Stains soon turned his attention to her. 

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Recorder Davies said De Stains, of Warren Lane, Chapeltown, Sheffield, ‘repeatedly punched’ her to the face and head, and she recalled being hit with such ‘force’ that she saw white flashes of light with each blow. 

“You knocked her unconscious, when she came around, you were still hitting her. She pretended she was unconscious, but it didn’t deter you from continuing the assault. You then kicked her in the ribs with significant force.

“You picked up some broken glass, threatened to ‘f***ing stab’ her, and deliberately grazed her face with a piece of glass, causing a cut that was some one inch long.” 

After leaving the second complainant with a number of other injuries including cuts to her fingers, and swelling to her eye, De Stains went to her home, caused damage and wrote the word ‘s**g’ in toothpaste on her bathroom floor and wall. 

De Stains was subsequently arrested and charged with two offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and two offences of criminal damage, all of which he pleaded guilty to at an earlier hearing. 

Mr Outhwaite said De Stains has a number of previous convictions, with his most recent recorded in 2018, and the most recent conviction for violence being in 2010. 

He confirmed that neither complainant had provided an impact statement to the court, or requested a restraining order. 

Defending, Sean Fritchley told the court that De Stains had previously been charged with rape and assault occasioning actual bodily, but was ultimately exonerated following a trial.  

De Stains, suggested Mr Fritchley, had spent almost three years of ‘living with the stress’ of being charged with the offences, and going through the court process. 

Mr Fritchley referred to evidence provided by the first complainant, who said that his friendship with De Stains started to deteriorate due to him ‘acting strangely’. 

“The stress was getting to him,” Mr Fritchley said, adding: “He’s been punished, had his liberty taken away for five months [on remand in prison], he’s lost the two people he was closest two, other than his parents.” 

Recorder Davies said that in view of De Stains’ five-month period in custody, which is the equivalent of a 10-month sentence, and the amount of time since his last conviction for violence, she had been ‘persuaded’ to give him a chance to take part in constructive sentencing requirements as well as unpaid work. 

She sentenced De Stains to two years’ custody, suspended for two years, and ordered him to complete 300 hours of unpaid work, a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and up to 32 days of the ‘building better relationships’ programme.

Recorder Davies told De Stains: “This was an absolutely appalling incident, and it was clearly prolonged and persistent.”

She added: “These are demanding requirements, but they are intended to be. If you fail to complete any of them, or you commit any further offences, you will face up to two years in prison.”