The faces of five men locked up for combined total of 36 years at Sheffield Crown Court

By Sarah Marshall

Published 28th Mar 2023, 08:27 BST

Updated 28th Mar 2023, 08:28 BST

All of the men pictured here have been jailed over the last week after being brought to justice at Sheffield Crown Court, with sentences totalling 35 years and 10 months.

Some of the defendants included on this list admitted their wrong-doing through guilty pleas, while others were convicted following a trial.

The Star has published full court reports, outlining the case as well as any aggravating or mitigating features present, for all of the defendants included in this list. You can find links to the reports below.

- Tahir Razaq: 18 months' custody for dangerous driving carried out while he was high on cocaine

- Yaqeen Arshad: Teen killer must serve at least 14 years behind bars

- Mohammed Artaf: 28 months' custody for drug dealer

- Craig Whittle and Jake Ward: 18 years' custody for thugs who gave Doncaster man life-changing injuries in pickaxe handle beating

All of the defendants pictured here have been jailed during Sheffield Crown Court hearings held this month
Top row, left to right: Tahir Razaq; Craig Whittle; Jake Ward
Bottom row, left to right: Yaqeen Arshad; Mohammed Artaf

1. Collage Maker-27-Mar-2023-03-14-PM-9895.jpg

All of the defendants pictured here have been jailed during Sheffield Crown Court hearings held this month Top row, left to right: Tahir Razaq; Craig Whittle; Jake Ward Bottom row, left to right: Yaqeen Arshad; Mohammed Artaf Photo: SYP

The attention of police constables patrolling the streets of Sheffield in a marked police car in the early hours of January 13, 2022 was drawn to a white KIA Niro driven by defendant, Tahir Razaq, after they noticed he was driving at ‘excessive speed’, prosecuting barrister, Ayman Khokhar, told Sheffield Crown Court.
Mr Khokhar said officers began to follow Razaq’s vehicle, and as they did so, carried out a check on Razaq’s vehicle on the ‘police national computer,’ with results suggesting the car may have ‘links to organised crime’.
“A decision was made to stop the vehicle,” said Mr Khokhar, adding that the driver, subsequently identified as Razaq, ‘initially complied with this request’.
However, after one of the officers approached the vehicle and asked Razaq whether he was alone in the vehicle, he drove away at speed. A police chase was then mounted, the court heard.
Summarising Razaq’s poor driving, Judge Graham Reeds KC said: “It involved a high-speed pursuit where you tried to evade the police. It involved you driving the wrong way up the M1. You were on drugs at the time, and the pursuit only came to an end when you rammed a police car and tried to run off.”
Judge Reeds jailed Razaq for 18 months, and told him: “It’s impossible to conceive of a worse case of dangerous driving, this is as bad as it gets.”
He also banned Razaq from driving for three years, nine months.

2. Tahir Razaq: 18 months' custody for dangerous driving carried out while he was high on cocaine

The attention of police constables patrolling the streets of Sheffield in a marked police car in the early hours of January 13, 2022 was drawn to a white KIA Niro driven by defendant, Tahir Razaq, after they noticed he was driving at ‘excessive speed’, prosecuting barrister, Ayman Khokhar, told Sheffield Crown Court. Mr Khokhar said officers began to follow Razaq’s vehicle, and as they did so, carried out a check on Razaq’s vehicle on the ‘police national computer,’ with results suggesting the car may have ‘links to organised crime’. “A decision was made to stop the vehicle,” said Mr Khokhar, adding that the driver, subsequently identified as Razaq, ‘initially complied with this request’. However, after one of the officers approached the vehicle and asked Razaq whether he was alone in the vehicle, he drove away at speed. A police chase was then mounted, the court heard. Summarising Razaq’s poor driving, Judge Graham Reeds KC said: “It involved a high-speed pursuit where you tried to evade the police. It involved you driving the wrong way up the M1. You were on drugs at the time, and the pursuit only came to an end when you rammed a police car and tried to run off.” Judge Reeds jailed Razaq for 18 months, and told him: “It’s impossible to conceive of a worse case of dangerous driving, this is as bad as it gets.” He also banned Razaq from driving for three years, nine months. Photo: South Yorkshire Police

Sheffield Crown Court heard on March 15 how Mohammed Artaf, aged 32, of Kenwood Road, at Nether Edge, Sheffield, was found with drugs after police raided his home and later investigations discovered that he also had receipts totaling £210,756 in his bank accounts.
Stephanie Hollis, prosecuting, said police raided Artaf’s family home in June, 2020, and found drugs valued at £2,687 including cocaine, ketamine, cannabis and MDMA known as ecstasy along with numerous mobile phones and weighing scales.
Ms Hollis added that further enquiries uncovered that Artaf had a number of receipts totaling £210,756 relating to his bank accounts concerning cash deposits, receipts from individuals and transfers.
She said: “This is a defendant who is supplying controlled drugs, class A and B, during a period of time in transactions with users.”

Artaf, who has previous convictions including possessing crack-cocaine with intent to supply, pleaded guilty to nine drug-related offences.
These included: Supplying class B drug ketamine; Supplying class A drug MDMA; Supplying class B drug cannabis; Supplying class A drug cocaine; Possessing class A drug MDMA with intent to supply; Possessing class A drug cocaine with intent to supply; Possessing class B drug ketamine with intent to supply; Possessing class B drug cannabis with intent to supply; And converting criminal property into thousands of pounds of assets.
Judge Sarah Wright acknowledged that Artaf’s offending began when he became addicted to drugs and began struggling with debts and that he has since made substantial efforts to tun his life around.
She sentenced Artaf to 28 months of custody and told him: “You are an intelligent and well-educated man with a secure family who has nevertheless committed very serious offences indeed.”

3. Mohammed Artaf: 28 months' custody for drug dealer

Sheffield Crown Court heard on March 15 how Mohammed Artaf, aged 32, of Kenwood Road, at Nether Edge, Sheffield, was found with drugs after police raided his home and later investigations discovered that he also had receipts totaling £210,756 in his bank accounts. Stephanie Hollis, prosecuting, said police raided Artaf’s family home in June, 2020, and found drugs valued at £2,687 including cocaine, ketamine, cannabis and MDMA known as ecstasy along with numerous mobile phones and weighing scales. Ms Hollis added that further enquiries uncovered that Artaf had a number of receipts totaling £210,756 relating to his bank accounts concerning cash deposits, receipts from individuals and transfers. She said: “This is a defendant who is supplying controlled drugs, class A and B, during a period of time in transactions with users.” Artaf, who has previous convictions including possessing crack-cocaine with intent to supply, pleaded guilty to nine drug-related offences. These included: Supplying class B drug ketamine; Supplying class A drug MDMA; Supplying class B drug cannabis; Supplying class A drug cocaine; Possessing class A drug MDMA with intent to supply; Possessing class A drug cocaine with intent to supply; Possessing class B drug ketamine with intent to supply; Possessing class B drug cannabis with intent to supply; And converting criminal property into thousands of pounds of assets. Judge Sarah Wright acknowledged that Artaf’s offending began when he became addicted to drugs and began struggling with debts and that he has since made substantial efforts to tun his life around. She sentenced Artaf to 28 months of custody and told him: “You are an intelligent and well-educated man with a secure family who has nevertheless committed very serious offences indeed.” Photo: SYP

Two thugs who violently beat another man with a pickaxe handle in the street in broad daylight in Doncaster have been jailed for a combined total of over 18 years.
The 40-year-old victim suffered life changing injuries after being savagely attacked by Craig Whittle and Jake Ward.
At around 8.50am on Thursday 24 February 2022, Whittle and Ward were driving along Grange Lane in Rossington when they stopped their vehicle, got out and proceeded to assault their victim, a 40-year-old man, repeatedly hitting him with a pickaxe handle.
Police received calls that a man was being assaulted with weapons and when they arrived, the victim was in a critical condition.
Detective Constable Caroline Thomas from Doncaster CID said: “The victim in this case was taken to hospital with significant injuries as a result of the prolonged and vicious beating he suffered at the hands of Whittle and Ward.
“He remained in a critical condition in hospital for a number of weeks and even now, over a year later, continues to suffer the long-term effects of being so seriously injured.”
In the immediate aftermath of the assault, detectives scoured the local area for CCTV footage that captured the assault and those responsible. From this, 37-year-old Whittle and 23-year-old Ward were identified as the primary suspects.
Forensic testing on the pickaxe handle also tied Whittle to the crime.
DC Thomas continued: “Whittle and Ward have admitted their roles in this serious assault and now face lengthy custodial sentences. Their violence and brutality is simply unacceptable and has no place in our community.”
At Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, Whittle was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison. Ward was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison. In an earlier hearing, Whittle, formerly of Makin Street, Mexborough, pleaded guilty to Section 18 assault and possession of an offensive weapon.
Ward, formerly of Elizabeth Avenue, Kirk Sandall, pleaded guilty to Section 18 assault.

4. Craig Whittle and Jake Ward: 18 years' custody for thugs who gave Doncaster man life-changing injuries in pickaxe handle beating

Two thugs who violently beat another man with a pickaxe handle in the street in broad daylight in Doncaster have been jailed for a combined total of over 18 years. The 40-year-old victim suffered life changing injuries after being savagely attacked by Craig Whittle and Jake Ward. At around 8.50am on Thursday 24 February 2022, Whittle and Ward were driving along Grange Lane in Rossington when they stopped their vehicle, got out and proceeded to assault their victim, a 40-year-old man, repeatedly hitting him with a pickaxe handle. Police received calls that a man was being assaulted with weapons and when they arrived, the victim was in a critical condition. Detective Constable Caroline Thomas from Doncaster CID said: “The victim in this case was taken to hospital with significant injuries as a result of the prolonged and vicious beating he suffered at the hands of Whittle and Ward. “He remained in a critical condition in hospital for a number of weeks and even now, over a year later, continues to suffer the long-term effects of being so seriously injured.” In the immediate aftermath of the assault, detectives scoured the local area for CCTV footage that captured the assault and those responsible. From this, 37-year-old Whittle and 23-year-old Ward were identified as the primary suspects. Forensic testing on the pickaxe handle also tied Whittle to the crime. DC Thomas continued: “Whittle and Ward have admitted their roles in this serious assault and now face lengthy custodial sentences. Their violence and brutality is simply unacceptable and has no place in our community.” At Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, Whittle was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison. Ward was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison. In an earlier hearing, Whittle, formerly of Makin Street, Mexborough, pleaded guilty to Section 18 assault and possession of an offensive weapon. Ward, formerly of Elizabeth Avenue, Kirk Sandall, pleaded guilty to Section 18 assault. Photo: SYP