Thug jailed after a mixed-race family was targeted by a gang in Sheffield city centre

Sheffield Crown Court heard how Wayne Garrity, aged 33, of Derby Street, Heeley, Sheffield, was part of a larger gang who subjected the mixed-race family to abuse in Barker’s Pool, before he attacked the man.

Brian Outhwaite, prosecuting, told a previous hearing the victim and his partner and two daughters were subjected to racist abuse from the group before the man was punched and he and his family were pursued along Division Street.

During the latest court hearing on March 17, Recorder Anthony Hawks told Garrity: “You used violence in the incident by punching the man who was no threat to you. Punching him to the ground in a public place in front of his own children.”

Recorder Hawks previously said the group had been drinking and Mr Outhwaite had said one of the daughters was repeatedly insulted.

As the father urged the gang not to insult his daughter, Garrity punched him to the ground during the incident on June 13, 2020, according to Mr Outhwaite.

Mr Outhwaite said the family had been followed and intimidated and as the gang continued to abuse them they sought sanctuary in a shop doorway.

Beer was thrown towards one of the daughters, according to Mr Outhwaite, and as the family tried to get into a Sainsbury’s store the door was locked and the family continued to be subjected to abuse including threats and a racist insult before police arrived.

Recorder Hawks said: “Suffice to say it was a disgusting incident which brought shame on the city of Sheffield which prides itself on being a diverse and tolerant community.”

During the previous hearing, five others from Sheffield admitted using threatening behaviour including: David Hill, aged 28 at the time, of Skelton Grove; Luke Hodder, aged 29 at the time, of Burnaby Street; Brandon Moxon, aged 23 at the time, of Sicey Avenue; Iain Inkson, aged 57 at the time, of Stradbroke Road; and Hayley Holdsworth, aged 20 at the time, of Maltravers Crescent.

Recorder Hawks previously sentenced Hill, Hodder, Moxon and Inkson to three months of custody suspended for 18 months with a 90 day Alcohol Abstinence and Monitoring Programme. He also sentenced Holdsworth to a 12 month community order with a rehabilitation requirement.

Garrity pleaded guilty to affray and a further defendant Steven Carroll, aged 29, of Heelis Street, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour.

Chris Aspinall, defending, said Garrity has viewed the case with regret and remorse and he has reduced his alcohol consumption and he has not been in trouble since the incident.

Recorder Hawks sentenced Garrity to 15 months of custody and he sentenced Carroll to three months of custody suspended for 18 months with a 90 day Alcohol Abstinence Monitoring Requirement.

A 17-year-old youth, from Sheffield, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also admitted affray and he was to be sentenced at a separate youth court hearing.