South Yorkshire thug gets custodial sentence after stealing man's glasses following Rotherham street attack

Sheffield Crown Court heard on January 7 how Alsadeq Aldom, aged 28, of St Ann’s Road, Eastwood, Rotherham, appeared from behind a tree near a community health centre on Greasbrough Road, Rotherham, before grabbing his victim’s jacket and punching him.

Recorder Megan Rhys told Aldom: “You appeared in front of him from behind a tree and grabbed his jacket. He told you to leave him alone. You then punched him to the face, hitting his glasses, and caused them to fall, and then you took them.

"He asked for them back but you lifted your top up and exposed your waistband and he was concerned you may have a weapon.”

Daniel Ingham, prosecuting, confirmed Aldom had punched the complainant to the face and taken his glasses and had lifted up his top, exposing his waistband, suggesting he had a weapon.

The complainant told police he had been punched and his glasses had been stolen, and he claimed that the defendant had also made sexual advances towards him.

Aldom, who needed an Arabic interpreter, pleaded guilty to assault by beating and to the theft of the glasses after the incident on June 6, 2021.

The court heard Aldom has a previous conviction for two offences of battery and for possessing cannabis after he had previously attacked a woman and her partner and had been sentenced to 12 weeks of custody.

Dermot Hughes, defending, said Aldom had assaulted the complainant on Greasbrough Road and had taken the spectacles for no good reason but the offending had not been deemed a robbery.

Mr Hughes added: “This was an assault followed by a theft rather than anything approaching a robbery.”

He also said Aldom has had difficulties as a young man which has been outlined in a psychiatric report.

Recorder Rhys told Aldom his victim has been left feeling angry and frustrated and he is scared to walk past the location of the assault and he has changed his route home from work.

She sentenced Aldom to six months of custody but he is now likely to be released from prison, having already served time behind bars on remand.