South Yorkshire killers serving jail sentences for fatal assaults

By Jon Cooper

Published 25th Oct 2022, 22:32 BST

Updated 25th Oct 2022, 22:46 BST

Following the recent case of a one-punch killer The Star has reflected on how too many thugs are still failing to get the message about the fatal risks of physical violence.

A publican’s son was recently sentenced to five years of custody after he killed a customer from his parents’ pub following an argument over an alleged stolen drink.

Similar incidents continue to appear in the courts – including at Sheffield Crown Court – despite MP Dehenna Davison’s one-punch campaign in 2021 to address sentencing in such cases after her father Dominic was killed with a single punch in The Bassett pub, at Foxhill, Sheffield, in 2007.

Sheffield Crown Court has also dealt with too many cases where killers have been jailed for taking people’s lives after inflicting physical violence upon their victims with tragic consequences.

These highlighted cases include two half-brothers who beat a disabled man to death In Doncaster, a convicted a peadophile who beat a fellow hospital patient to death in Rotherham and a Sheffield thug who punched a man to the ground where he smashed his head and later died.

Killers serving time behind bars after fatal assaults

1. Collage Maker-25-Oct-2022-10.44-PM.jpg

Killers serving time behind bars after fatal assaults Photo: Submit

Killer Kyle Martin, pictured, and his brother Gareth Leach, both beat a disabled man to death over the theft of a mobility scooter. Martin, aged 22 at the time of sentencing in May, of Selwyn Street, Rotherham, was found not guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of murder but he admitted manslaughter after the death of Dean Williamson. Leach, aged 28 when sentenced, of Brameld Road, Swinton, was also found not guilty of murder by a trial jury after the joint attack on William Street, at Parkgate, Rotherham, in October, 2021. But the court heard Martin had pleaded guilty to manslaughter following his arrest and Leach had pleaded guilty to manslaughter just before the trial. Both Martin and Leach were sentenced to nine years of custody each.

2. Kyle Martin

Killer Kyle Martin, pictured, and his brother Gareth Leach, both beat a disabled man to death over the theft of a mobility scooter. Martin, aged 22 at the time of sentencing in May, of Selwyn Street, Rotherham, was found not guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of murder but he admitted manslaughter after the death of Dean Williamson. Leach, aged 28 when sentenced, of Brameld Road, Swinton, was also found not guilty of murder by a trial jury after the joint attack on William Street, at Parkgate, Rotherham, in October, 2021. But the court heard Martin had pleaded guilty to manslaughter following his arrest and Leach had pleaded guilty to manslaughter just before the trial. Both Martin and Leach were sentenced to nine years of custody each. Photo: SYP

Killer Gareth Leach, pictured, and his brother Kyle Martin, both beat a disabled man to death over the theft of a mobility scooter. Leach, aged 28 when sentenced in May, of Brameld Road, Swinton, was found not guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of murder but he admitted manslaughter after the death of Dean Williamson. Martin, aged 22 at the time of sentencing, of Selwyn Street, Rotherham, was also found not guilty of murder after the joint attack on William Street, at Parkgate, Rotherham, in October, 2021. But the court heard Martin had pleaded guilty to manslaughter following his arrest and Leach had pleaded guilty to manslaughter just before the trial. Both Martin and Leach were sentenced to nine years of custody each. Prosecuting barrister Peter Glenser said Mr Williamson was beaten, kicked and stamped on and lost consciousness and was later pronounced dead at hospital.

3. Gareth Leach

Killer Gareth Leach, pictured, and his brother Kyle Martin, both beat a disabled man to death over the theft of a mobility scooter. Leach, aged 28 when sentenced in May, of Brameld Road, Swinton, was found not guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of murder but he admitted manslaughter after the death of Dean Williamson. Martin, aged 22 at the time of sentencing, of Selwyn Street, Rotherham, was also found not guilty of murder after the joint attack on William Street, at Parkgate, Rotherham, in October, 2021. But the court heard Martin had pleaded guilty to manslaughter following his arrest and Leach had pleaded guilty to manslaughter just before the trial. Both Martin and Leach were sentenced to nine years of custody each. Prosecuting barrister Peter Glenser said Mr Williamson was beaten, kicked and stamped on and lost consciousness and was later pronounced dead at hospital. Photo: SYP

Boozed-up convicted paedophile Paul Franks, pictured, was put behind bars after he attacked and killed a fellow inpatient on a hospital ward. Franks, aged 48 at the time of sentencing in June, of Cinderhill Lane, Sheffield, was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to eight years of custody after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter following the death of fellow inpatient Paul Reed at Rotherham District General Hospital and after he had breached a community order. The court heard how Franks rushed at Mr Reed before putting him in a headlock and dropping him to the floor where he smashed his head and later died from bleeding on the brain.

4. Paul Franks

Boozed-up convicted paedophile Paul Franks, pictured, was put behind bars after he attacked and killed a fellow inpatient on a hospital ward. Franks, aged 48 at the time of sentencing in June, of Cinderhill Lane, Sheffield, was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to eight years of custody after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter following the death of fellow inpatient Paul Reed at Rotherham District General Hospital and after he had breached a community order. The court heard how Franks rushed at Mr Reed before putting him in a headlock and dropping him to the floor where he smashed his head and later died from bleeding on the brain. Photo: SYP