Man jailed for attacking Sheffield woman in Spice-fuelled rage and leaving her with bleed on brain

A young woman was left with a bleed on the brain and two fractures to her face, after a man on West Street attacked her in a Spice-fuelled rage.
Prosecuting, BeverleyTait, told Sheffield Crown Court how at around 3pm on February 16 this year Craig Weldon, 31,was congregating in a group of 'street drinkers' outside Bargain Beers on the busy city centre street, when he got into an argument with his girlfriend.Prosecuting, BeverleyTait, told Sheffield Crown Court how at around 3pm on February 16 this year Craig Weldon, 31,was congregating in a group of 'street drinkers' outside Bargain Beers on the busy city centre street, when he got into an argument with his girlfriend.
Prosecuting, BeverleyTait, told Sheffield Crown Court how at around 3pm on February 16 this year Craig Weldon, 31,was congregating in a group of 'street drinkers' outside Bargain Beers on the busy city centre street, when he got into an argument with his girlfriend.

Prosecuting, Beverley Tait, told Sheffield Crown Court how at around 3pm on February 16 this year Craig Weldon, 31, was congregating in a group of 'street drinkers' outside Bargain Beers on the busy city centre street, when he got into an argument with his girlfriend.

During the course of the argument Weldon's girlfriend told him that the complainant thought his behaviour towards her was controlling, and he then directed his anger towards the female complainant who was standing nearby.

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"There was a bin in the way. He threw the bin to one side and punched her to the face in the cheek and mouth area," said Ms Tait.

She added: "After she fell back, she was rising from the floor and the defendant punched her again in a similar area.

"That's the last thing she remembers before waking up in hospital."

The young woman, who was only an acquaintance of Weldon's, was left with a fracture to her cheek and skull and a brain hemorrhage, and spent three days in Northern General hospital receiving treatment for her injuries.

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In a victim personal statement, the complainant said the incident had 'scared' her and she did not believe she deserved the treatment she received.

Defending, Simon Batiste, told the court that Weldon, of no fixed abode, had been drinking all day and had taken Spice - which had a detrimental effect on him.

Mr Batiste said: "He was given Spice, a substance he is not used to, which led to the actions that he took that were regrettable and very damaging to the complainant."

Weldon admitted one count of wounding during today's sentencing hearing.

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Recorder Abdul Iqbal QC sentenced Weldon to two years in prison.

He said: "She says she was scared at the time, and did not deserve to be hit. She clearly didn't deserve it, and was, it seems to me, entirely blameless.

"This was a sustained attack, in that in continued when she got to her feet. It caused her serious injury.

"This was a mean and nasty offence, and one I'm confident will have led to any bystanders to move away from the area."