The biggest cases at Sheffield Crown Court, as knifeman, spade attacker and booze-fuelled thug are sentenced

Here’s a round-up of the biggest cases heard at Sheffield Crown Court.

Victim of terrifying assault at Sheffield petrol station thought he was going to die

The traumatised victim of a terrifying assault at a petrol station has told how he thought he was going to die as a thug rained punches and kicks down upon him.

Sheffield Crown Court heard on February 28 how booze-fuelled Ian Askey, aged 48, punched his victim 30 times and kicked him six times in an unprovoked attack as they were standing at the counter of the Jet petrol station, on Northfield Road, Crookes, Sheffield.

Askey’s 61-year-old victim stated: “When I was on the floor of the petrol station I really believed I was going to die and I screamed at him to stop and I protected my head as best as I could but nothing seemed to make a difference.”

Neil Coxon, prosecuting, told the court the complainant asked Askey, who was not wearing a mask, to keep his social-distance but the defendant headbutted the complainant and struck him 30 times with his fists and kicked him six times as he lay on the ground.

The complainant suffered fractured ribs, a collapsed lung, extensive bruising to his face and body, and he needed to stay in hospital for five days.

Askey, of Upper Greenhill Gardens, Matlock, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent after the assault on December 8, 2021.

Askey also pleaded guilty to exceeding the drink-drive limit, for which he was fined £100 and banned from driving for 17 months at a previous magistrates’ court hearing.

He was sentenced to five years of custody.

Sheffield pest is spared from jail after harassing ex-partner while wearing a “skeleton” mask

A man who harassed his ex-partner while he was wearing a “skeleton” mask has been spared from time behind bars.

Simeon Ibbotson, aged 33, formerly of Brailsford Road, Ecclesfield, Sheffield, repeatedly texted and allegedly threatened his ex-partner before following her while wearing a “skeleton” mask during a visit to their child’s school, according to a Sheffield Crown Court hearing.

Vincent Blake-Barnard, prosecuting, told the hearing on February 25: “There were threats reported and the sending of texts and there was a photo of him with a skeleton mask when he attended at the school.”

Mr Blake-Barnard told a previous hearing that Ibbotson was seen near his daughter’s school wearing a “skeleton” mask in May and after his daughter was escorted to his ex-partner’s car he could be seen following them while wearing the mask.

The defendant had also allegedly posted insulting Snapchat posts while wearing the mask, according to Mr Blake-Barnard.

Ibbotson told police he had been wanting to talk about child support payments and that his ex-partner was making things up to get him into trouble.

But the defendant, now of Binstead Grove, near Wadsley Bridge, Sheffield, who has previous convictions including harassment and arson, pleaded guilty to harassment after the incident on May 5.

Sean Fritchley, defending, said: “He was wearing a mask and we have to put that into context in that we are in Covid times when we have to wear a mask and if we had not not been in Covid times he would not have worn a mask.”

Judge Michael Slater sentenced Ibbotson to 12 months of custody suspended for two years with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and a five-year restraining order.

Knife-wielding Sheffield robber is jailed after he targeted two women in the street

An armed robber from Sheffield has been jailed after he waved a knife at two women and demanded money as they were making their way to work.

Sheffield Crown Court heard on February 25 how Benjamin Mellor, aged 31, of Gresley Road, Lowedges, targeted the women as they were walking to work in December last year.

Charlotte Noddings, prosecuting, said Mellor began waving a knife around and making stabbing motions as one of his victims handed over some small change, and he swung the other woman about as she struggled with her bag.

Mellor got away with a purse containing bank cards which he used to buy goods from Nisa and Premier stores, according to Ms Noddings, but a further attempt to purchase items at a McColl’s store was declined.

Both victims told how they had been left struggling to sleep after what happened.

Mellor, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and he also admitted three counts of fraud from December 2021, as well as two counts of theft after he stole chocolates from a McColls store in November 2021.

He was sentenced to six years of custody with an extended custodial licence period of four years as he was deemed to be dangerous.

Spade-wielding South Yorkshire man struck victim over the head during lockdown dispute

A man who struggles with learning difficulties and ADHD has been spared from jail after he attacked another man with a spade during a Covid-19 lockdown dispute.

Anthony Lofthouse, aged 25, of Middlefields Drive, Whiston, Rotherham, struck the victim over the head with a spade after the complainant had been trying to visit a neighbour during a Covid-19 lockdown, according to a Sheffield Crown Court hearing.

Kristina Goodman, prosecuting, told the hearing on February 24 that witnesses saw the complainant at the gate of the defendant’s home as he was trying to visit a friend but Lofthouse, who was gardening, refused to let him in.

Ms Goodman said the complainant flicked his hands towards Lofthouse, who punched him, but as the complainant continued to be abusive the defendant hit him over the head with a spade.

Judge Rachael Harrison said: “The victim made comments to Anthony that might fall short of threatening but were certainly unpleasant.

"Anthony was abiding by lockdown rules and was gardening and this gentleman wanted to visit someone else near where Anthony lives and Anthony told him that was not allowed because of lockdown.”

Lofthouse, who has one previous conviction for battery, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm after the incident in March, 2021.

The court heard the complainant, who struggled with alcohol problems and had caused difficulties for neighbours, has since died due to unrelated circumstances.

Judge Harrison sentenced Lofthouse to an 18-month community order with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

She told him: “It is important you take everybody’s help because I do not want you to ever come here again but this is where you will come if you do not do what I am telling you to do.”

South Yorkshire drug-user was dealing cocaine and heroin to fund his own addiction

A drug-user has narrowly been spared from jail after he was caught dealing cocaine and heroin to fund his own addiction.

Sheffield Crown Court heard on February 22 how Joshua Thompson, aged 21, of Rowena Drive, at Thurcroft, Rotherham, was found in Mexborough by police to have been in possession of cocaine and heroin valued at £800.

Laura Marshall, prosecuting, said a police officer spotted Thompson on Schofield Street, Mexborough, leaving one property and entering another before heading to a park with a satchel.

The officer searched Thompson, who threw an item into the garden of a property on Maple Road, Mexborough, according to Ms Marshall, and police recovered 25 packages of diamorphine – known as heroin – and 50 packages of crack-cocaine as well as a single wrap of crack-cocaine.

Ms Marshall said: “He clearly had an operational function in a chain, but given his age and background there are features which suggest it was a lesser role.”

Thompson pleaded guilty to possessing class A drug diamorphine with intent to supply and to possessing class A drug crack-cocaine with intent to supply after the incident on August 5, 2019.

The court heard while Thompson was on bail he committed an offence of possessing a prohibited weapon and he has been convicted for this matter as well as for failing to comply with a community order.

Francis Edusei, defending, said Thompson was only aged 18 at the time of the drug offences, there had been a significant delay in bringing these matters to a conclusion, and he was now on the “straight-and-narrow”.

Recorder Ashley Serr sentenced Thompson to 24 months of custody suspended for 12 months with 150 hours of unpaid work and a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

He also ordered that £116.40 in cash which police found on Thompson be confiscated and that the defendant pays a £149 victim surcharge.