Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Two homeless thugs have been put behind bars after they were involved in a violent and ‘relentless’ joint-attack on a man in Sheffield city centre.

Sheffield Crown Court heard on January 26 how Gabriel Costea and Robert Mirza were joined by two other males when they jointly assaulted a man on St James’ Row, near Sheffield Cathedral, who was so badly kicked and stamped on that he suffered a fractured jaw and eye socket and had two teeth knocked out.

Zaiban Alam, prosecuting, said the homeless defendants and the complainant had a discussion about the cannabinoid drug spice before the victim was thrown to the ground by Costea and felt feet kicking and stamping on him and Mirza threw a boot at the victim.

The complainant stated: “At the time I thought these males were going to kill me. These males were out of order and at the end of the day they did not need to do what they did to me.”

Pictured is Gabriel Costea, aged 21, of no fixed address, who was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to five years of custody after he pleaded guilty to a robbery at an NCP car park at Arundel Gate, Sheffield, and to a separate offence of unlawful wounding at St James' Row, Sheffield.

He added the incident in July, 2021, had left him with nightmares and he had been scared to go back into the city centre.

Ms Alam said Costea had also robbed a man at the NCP car park at Arundel Gate in June, 2021, stealing his £8,500 Rolex watch, his wallet and a bank card.

She said the robbery victim was targeted near a parked car by Costea and another man and as this complainant tried to run he fell and was punched to his chest and neck and suffered between ten to 15 blows before his watch and wallet were stolen.

Ms Alam said Costea was spotted by a CCTV operator who later identified him to police when he was seen at Castle Square where he was arrested.

Pictured is Robert Mirza, aged 21, of John Street, Sheffield, who was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to three years and four months of custody after he pleaded guilty to an offence of unlawful wounding on St James' Row, in Sheffield city centre.

The robbery victim said: “I thought I was going to be stabbed or seriously injured and I am still very shaken from the incident. I do not think people like this should be let out in society where they can attack innocent people.”

Costea, aged 20, of no fixed abode, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the robbery and to the separate unlawful wounding.

Mirza, aged 20, of John Street, Sheffield, who has one previous conviction, pleaded guilty to the unlawful wounding offence.

Nicholas Cartmell, defending, said Mirza had been recovering from a previous knife attack at the time of his offending which had affected his mobility.

He added “His existence on the streets of Sheffield was to some extent feral. He joined a group that looked after him.”

Mr Cartmell said Romanian national Mirza has been in the UK unlawfully and he would prefer to spend time in prison than waiting in a detention centre to be deported.

Ian West, defending, said Romanian national Costea had come to the UK to earn money and support family.

Mr West added: “He came here with the best intentions and then became associated with the wrong crowd, sampled drugs and became addicted to drugs, stopped working and became homeless and started offending.”

The judge – Recorder Felicity Davies – sentenced Costea to five years of custody and Mirza to three years and four months of custody.

Concerning the unlawful wounding victim, Recorder Davies said: “He described screaming out in pain and trying to crawl away. The attack was relentless.”

Victim of 'relentless' Sheffield city centre attack thought he was going to die