The 12 murder investigations launched in Sheffield over last year after teenager killed in stabbing

The main road running through Crookes – also called Crookes – is still cordoned off by police between The Ball pub and Sainsbury’s this morning, following a fatal stabbing on the road last night (Thursday, May 25, 2023).

A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police said two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder, in connection with the teenager’s death.

Reports suggest the deadly altercation took place outside Domino’s on the road at around 7.30pm, and an air ambulance was seen to land at Crookes Cemetery.

As another city community tries to come to terms with the loss of yet another life on Sheffield’s streets, below are the details of every other Sheffield murder investigation launched by South Yorkshire Police since this time last year (May 2022).

Incident numbers have been included where possible, and they should be used when passing information on to South Yorkshire Police which you can do, by calling the force on 101. Alternatively, if you would prefer not to give your personal details, you can stay anonymous and pass on what you know by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers. Call their UK Contact Centre on freephone 0800 555 111 or complete a simple and secure anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Thursday, May 25, 2023: Teenager yet to be named

A murder investigation has been launched by South Yorkshire Police (SYP) following a fatal assault in the Crookes area of Sheffield on the evening of Thursday, May 25, 2023.

In a statement released by the force in the hours following the incident, a SYP spokesperson said: “A murder investigation has been launched after a teenager died following an assault in Crookes, Sheffield this evening (Thursday 25 May).

“There are a high number of uniformed officers in the area carrying out initial enquiries, and a number of road closures and cordons remain in place.

“Two men are in custody after being detained on suspicion of murder.”

Monday, May 8, 2023: Adam Abdul-Basit

Officers from South Yorkshire Police were called out to an incident on Smelter Wood Drive at around 1pm on Monday, May 8, after receiving reports that a man had been assaulted.

Upon arrival, Adam Abdul-Basit was found with critical injuries, and despite the best efforts of medical professionals he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have been charged with the murder of 19-year-old Adam Abdul-Basit, who died after being stabbed while on Smelter Wood Drive, Stradbroke on Monday, May 8, 2023.

They both appeared at Sheffield Crown Court in front of The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, on Wednesday, May 17, 2023.

The defendants, both of whom were dressed in pale grey tracksuits, spoke only to confirm their names and have been remanded into custody until their next hearing at the court.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting incident number 409 of May 8, 2023.

Sunday, April 9, 2023: Abdullah Hassan

Abdullah Hassan, aged 25, was killed in the Callow Drive area of Gleadless Valley at around 1.30am on Easter Sunday (April 9, 2023). Efforts were made to save him but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post mortem examination revealed he died as a result of a single gunshot wound.

Abdullah’s loved ones have described him as “a massive pillar in our family”. They said “it is beyond painful to lose him in such tragic circumstances”.

They added: “There is only one way to describe him. He was one of a kind, inside and out.”

A 27-year-old Sheffield woman was arrested on suspicion of murder on Tuesday April 18, Sheffield police said. Three men, aged 44, 28 and 26, were also detained on suspicion of murder on April 17, 2023 and a fourth man, aged 26, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Anyone with information should call police on 101, and quote incident number 74 of April 9, 2023.

Wednesday, April 5, 2023: Marcia Grant

Greenhill was left in shock, after ‘kind and generous’ Marcia Grant was 60-years-old when she died in an incident in the suburb that took place outside her house on the evening of Wednesday, April 5, 2023, with police being called to the scene at around 7.10pm.

A 12-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with Ms Grant’s murder. He appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on April 28, 2023, and while no plea has yet been entered, a trial date has been fixed for October 2, 2023.

Following Ms Grant’s death, she was described as a ‘pillar of the communuty’ in floral tributes left at Ms Grant’s home.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident number 736 of April 5, 2023, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Sunday, November 27, 2022: Bryan and Mary Andrews

Bryan and Mary Andrews were found critically injured in their home in Terrey Road, Totley, on the morning of November 27, 2022.

The couple died a short time later. Shortly afterwards, officers arrested and charged the couple’s son, 51-year-old James Andrews, of Reney Avenue, Greenhill, with their murder.

South Yorkshire Police subsequently confirmed that the cause of death for both Mr and Mrs Andrews has been determined to be ‘stab wounds,’ following post-mortem examinations. James Andrews, who is also known as Duncan, aged 51, of Reney Avenue, in Greenhill, Sheffield, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, April 28.

During the course of the hearing, Andrews denied both counts of murder but pleaded guilty to two alternative counts of manslaughter, on the basis of ‘diminished responsibilty’.

He is now due to be sentenced on June 15, 2023.

Thursday, September 29, 2022: Reece Radford

Reece Radford was just 26-years-old when he suffered a fatal stab wound through his chest and heart, during an altercation that took place on Arundel Gate in Sheffield city centre in the early hours of September 29, 2022. He died less than a week later on October 4, 2022.

Louis James, aged 47, of Manor Lane, Sheffield, and Dereck Owusu, aged 40, of Strathmore Grove, at Wath-upon-Dearne, near Rotherham, were found guilty of Mr Radford’s murder on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 following a three-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

Judge Sarah Wright sent the pair to begin their life sentences in a hearing held at the same court on Thursday, May 4, 2023, and fixed 47-year-old James’ minimum term at 25 years, while Owusu, aged 40, of Strathmore Grove, Wath-upon-Dearne, was told he must spend at least 15 years behind bars.

Saturday, September 3, 2022: David Ford

David Ford died as a result of his injuries after a crash on Saturday, September 3, 2022 involving a car and a pedestrian on Cricket Inn Road, Park Hill.

Jermaine Richards, aged 31, of Wordsworth Drive, Parson Cross, Sheffield, went on trial at Sheffield Crown Court earlier this year, accused of Mr Ford’s murder.

Richards had sought to deny his guilt, but jurors found him guilty of Mr Ford’s murder, and of an additional charge of wounding with intent relating to the injuries inflicted upon Ryan Ford, Mr Ford’s son, in the same incident at the conclusion of a trial at Sheffield Crown Court in March 2023. Richards, aged 31, of Wordsworth Drive, Parson Cross, also admitted to further charges of criminal damage prior to the commencement of the trial.

The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, adjourned Jermaine Richards’ initial sentencing hearing for the murder of David Ford on Thursday, April 20, after Richards refused to attend court.

Despite being given a second chance to acknowledge his horrific crimes and face Mr Ford’s loved ones in court, Richards still failed to attend the rescheduled Sheffield Crown Court hearing on Monday, April 24, 2023, when Judge Richardson sentenced him to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 26 years, in his absence.

Judge Richardson told the court: “I regard the refusal of the defendant to attend court to be an act of cowardice. His arrogance is also demonstrated by this conduct.”

Tuesday, August 2, 2022: Simon Wilkinson

Simon Wilkinson, aged 50, was pronounced dead at his home on Fox Hill Road on Tuesday, August 2, 2022 after emergency services were called to reports of an assault.

Judge Sarah Wright jailed Mr Wilkinson’s killer and next-door neighbour, Andrew Hague, aged 31, formerly of Fox Hill Road, Fox Hill, Sheffield, for life, and ordered him to serve a minimum of 17 years in custody, during a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday, May 9) after admitting to Mr Wilkinson’s murder in an earlier hearing.

Hague beat Mr Wilkinson to death in an unprovoked assault outside the flats they both lived in on Fox Hill Road, in Fox Hill, Sheffield, with numerous people witnessing the savage killing on the evening of Tuesday, August 2, 2022.

“This was an unremitting and merciless attack upon a neighbour of yours where you took the decision during the savage assault to kill him,” Judge Wright told Hague.

Saturday, July 23, 2022: Michael Rose

Emergency services rushed out to Bowshaw Close, Batemoor, at 11pm on Saturday, July 23, 2022 following the discovery of a man with life-threatening injuries.

Michael Rose, aged 59, could not be saved and sadly died. Levi Hampsey, of Lowedges Crescent, Sheffield, appeared at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on July 25, 2022 charged with the man’s murder. Court proceedings are still ongoing.

Call police on 101, quoting incident number 1,087 of July 23, 2022.

Wednesday, June 16, 2022: Kevin Hodkinson

Kevin Hodkinson, aged 50, died following an incident at a fishing pond, off Herries Road, Shirecliffe.

At 9.21pm on Thursday, June 16, 2022 emergency services were called to reports of concern for a man at the pond.

The father of three, from Sheffield, was taken to hospital but pronounced dead a short time later.

Kieran Hayes, 33, of Oxspring Bank Road, Sheffield, was charged with Mr Hodkinson’s murder, but the charge was downgraded to one of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished reponsibility. He was sentenced to a hospital order, under Section 37/41 of the Mental Health Act 1983, during a sentencing hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, May 19, 2023.

Summarising the circumstances of the ‘terrible events’ that led to Mr Hodkinson’s tragic death, The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, said: “The deceased was drowned by the defendant. This was an entirely deliberate act. But for the mental condition of the defendant this would have been a clear case of murder. The conduct of the defendant amounted to an intention to kill the deceased. It’s pertinent to note that the defendant, it appears, had taken crack cocaine at the relevant time. There’s no doubt that he was in a delusional state as a result of paranoid schizophrenia.”

Judge Richardson continued: “The defendant suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, and has suffered from that for something in excess of 10 years. At the relevant time, he was of the deluded view that the deceased was, in some way repsonsible, for committing an act of violence against a family member. He was deluded as to who the deceased was, he believed him to be someone else…this was comprehensively borne out of paranoid schizophrenia, a consequence of which, the defendant killed the deceased, deliberately

and cruelly. This has caused devastation for his family…he was a much-loved man.”

Sunday, June 5, 2022: Saira Ali

Saira Ali, aged 47, was found seriously injured with multiple stab wounds, predominantly to her chest and neck, at her home on Cromford Street, Highfield, Sheffield, in the early hours of Sunday, June 5, 2022. During Ms Ali's inquest in November 2022, Sheffield Coroners' Court was told that Ms Ali’s husband, Vahid Kabiri, had been the one to raise the alarm, and in a call to the police at around 3.10am, was recorded as saying: “I did a murder, can you come and arrest me please?”

Giving evidence, Detective Constable Lisa Glover, the investigating officer, told Sheffield Coroners’ Court that when the operator asked Kabiri, 43, who he had murdered he stated “my wife,” adding that he had killed her using a knife.

Emergency services arrived on the scene a short time after the call, but despite the best efforts of medics – both at the scene and at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital – Ms Ali was pronounced dead shortly after 4am. Following a post-mortem examination, Pathologist, Dr Naomi Carter, concluded that Ms Ali’s cause of death was ‘stab wounds to the neck and chest’.

Kabiri was found hanged in his cell at HMP Doncaster on July 1, 2022. Det Con Glover said Kabiri is believed to have taken his own life.

Thursday, May 12, 2022: Carlo Giannini

Carlo Giannini was found dead in Manor Fields Park in the early hours of May 12, 2022. The 34-year-old chef is believed to have died from a single stab wound, according to the findings from a post-mortem examination.

Two teenagers were arrested and questioned shortly after the death of Mr Giannini, an Italian national, but no-one has ever been charged with his murder.

An extensive police sweep of Manor Fields Park off City Road was carried out over three days earlier this year, between February 13 and 15, and a spokesperson for the force confirmed the activity was related to the ongoing investigation into Mr Giannini’s murder.

Anyone with information is asked to call South Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 122 of May 12, 2022. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers, free and anonymously, on 0800 555 111.