Thug attacked man with belt near Sheffield nightclub before victim was stabbed by another offender

Sheffield Crown Court heard on October 18 how Armend Dogeanu, aged 25, crossed paths with his victim at Barker’s Pool, in Sheffield city centre, and, following a confrontation, Dogeanu attacked him.

Laura Jane Miller, prosecuting, said: “Door staff at the Area club were aware of an altercation at approximately 4am near the entrance. They were aware of a group of about five males fighting and a female screaming and one male removing a belt and striking a dark-skinned male.

"The dark-skinned male went to the ground and was kicked by others including this defendant.”

Ms Miller added that following this assault on December 29, 2019, there was a further confrontation involving others which left the same victim with serious stab wounds.

She said the victim’s brother told police how a group had appeared to be ganging-up on the complainant and when he tried to help he was punched by one of the gang and he punched them back.

Ms Miller added: “Then he heard someone shout, ‘he’s been stabbed’, and turned to find his brother on the ground bleeding.”

The judge conceded there were other people who had some responsibility for what happened and he pointed out that it appeared the victim had pulled a knife from his pocket which precipitated the attack upon him.

Dogeanu, of Nelson Street, near Newbold, Chesterfield, claims he had initially acted in self-defence but the judge pointed out he had gone on to kick the victim while he was on the ground and he had attacked him with his belt.

The stab victim was taken by ambulance to Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital and he survived after suffering multiple lacerations to his scalp, chest and left knee and a fractured finger.

Dogeanu told police he had been approached by the victim and after they had exchanged words the complainant appeared to have pulled out a knife so he had taken off his belt to defend himself.

The defendant added he had been stabbed around his left shoulder and he later saw a knife on the ground and picked it up and disposed of it but he claimed he did not know the complainant had been stabbed.

Dogeanu, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm on the basis off only using his belt and kicking the complainant.

Craig Hassall QC, defending, said: “Whatever was used to involve the stab wounds on the complainant, it can be said it was not this defendant. It was no this defendant with the weapon.”

He added Dogeanu has become a prison violence reduction scheme representative and accepts using his belt in an impulsive, spontaneous, short-lived assault and he apologises for the extent of his actions.

Justice Jacobs sentenced Dogeanu to 12 months of custody which means the defendant will be released from prison because he has already served a considerable amount of time on remand.