Sheffield murder victim Danny Irons's three children have been left needing 'support' following his death

Doncaster Crown Court heard during a three-week trial how cousins Ross Turton and Danny Chadwick, both aged 30, had denied murdering 32-year-old Daniel Irons, known as Danny, after he collapsed and died of a stab wound on Fretson Green, near Woodthorpe, Sheffield, following a confrontation at a nearby park.

But Turton, of Danewood Avenue, Woodthorpe, Sheffield, was found guilty of murder and Judge Roger Thomas QC sentenced him during a further Doncaster Crown Court hearing on January 10 to life imprisonment.

Mr Chadwick, of Melville Drive, Woodthorpe, Sheffield, was found not guilty of murder or manslaughter and he was acquitted.

Judge Thomas said: “Danny Irons was 32-years-old when he died. He had not led an entirely blameless life though it is said he had settled down in the last few years and was in a settled relationship and he provided good family support.

"His mother describes him in a moving personal statement as being a much-loved son, brother, father and uncle. She speaks about the loss of her son and reports his own three children are requiring support for the death of their father.”

Judge Thomas added that Danny Irons’s mother, Christine Irons, has also revealed in her victim personal statement that her son’s family and his friends have been left with pain following his death.

Simon Kealey QC, prosecuting, had told the jury the defendants had gone to check on a cannabis crop at a house on Fretson Road South because they feared it was going to be burgled and that was when they came across Danny Irons and his friend Peter Taylor.

But Mr Chadwick claimed he had no involvement in the cannabis crop which he said Turton had been overseeing for someone else and that he had not known Danny Irons had been stabbed after the confrontation around midnight between April 16 and April 17, 2021.

Turton admitted he had been looking after the cannabis crop for another person and he and Chadwick went to check on it after he had received notifications there had been a disturbance.

He claimed Danny Irons had swiped at him with a knife before he stabbed him in self-defence but Turton was found guilty of murder.

John Elvidge QC, defending, said former railway engineer Turton, who has a previous conviction, has been regarded as a reliable, trustworthy working man.

Judge Thomas told Turton: “You are to be sentenced for the murder of Danny Irons. You murdered him by stabbing him in a small park near to a house where you were commercially growing cannabis.”

He added: “You confronted Danny Irons and almost immediately on coming into range you plunged the knife into him.”

Judge Thomas said: “He had no chance of defending himself. You struck him with a substantial blow with a substantial weapon.”

A post-mortem examination confirmed Mr Irons, who lived in Hackenthorpe, Sheffield, and Rotherham, died from a seven-inch deep stab wound to his chest.

Judge Thomas sentenced Turton to life imprisonment and told him he must serve a minimum term of 25 years before he can be considered for release allowing for time he has already spent remanded in custody.