'Stupid' Sheffield offender from Burngreave 'at large' for 40 minutes after running from police

Idris Omar, of Kilton Place, Burngreave, took his chance after he was arrested at the roadside to bolt from officers before they could cuff him.

It led to the 23-year-old being ‘at large’ for around 40 minutes on July 12, 2020, before he was tracked down again and detained.

At his sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday (November 12), the first thing His Honour Judge David Dixon said to Omar was: “This is just stupid.

"You know as well as I do that when police are talking to you, for any reason, the best course of action is to play along and find out what they want, and if they want to speak to you at the police station that’s what you do.

"But you did something stupid and you ran.”

The court did not hear what the 23-year-old was first arrested for as the case had been dropped.

However, prosecutor Neil Coxon set out that Omar had previously been jailed for 50 months for robbery, theft and affray.

He also received a conditional discharge in 2019 for drunk and disorderly conduct for making a ‘slitting throat gesture’ at police during a domestic incident.

His defence barrister, Zaiban Alam, said the escape attempt was ‘entirely opportunistic’ and was done without any violence.

Judge Dixon said: “Most escape attempts warrant immediate custody, as a message has to go out that this is not acceptable. I’m not going to do that here.

"It seems there’s a lot of work to do with you. Part of that is just you growing up and understanding that there are some things you may just don't want to do that you’ve got to do. You’ve got to grow up and understand that.”

Omar was spared a prison sentence and was instead handed a two year community order and 120 hours of unpaid work.

“That punishment is for being stupid,” said Judge Dixon.

"I don’t want to see you again. If you are stupid again I will lock you up.”

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