Judges in Sheffield have handed down long sentences in 2023 to criminals responsible for some of the most serious, and heinous, crimes recently committed in South Yorkshire.
Each defendant included on this list was sent to begin their substantial prison sentence during hearings held at Sheffield Crown Court over the last 12 months.
They all have years left of their sentences to spend behind bars at His Majesty's Pleasure, reflecting on their crimes.
1. 11 of the longest sentences handed down in Sheffield
Top row, left to right: Cyrus Scarborough; Jermaine Richards; Sam Chetty. Middle row, left to right: Vibhor Garg; Graeme Reed; Anthony Woodward; Roland Sakanjako; Richard Sampson. Bottom row, left to right: David Scott; Leon Mathias; Louis James
2. Cyrus Scarborough: 18-year sentence for attacks on two men
Cyrus Scarborough, aged 28, has now been jailed at Sheffield Crown Court for the attacks, after a judge passed an 18 year jail term. The court heard how South Yorkshire Police were called to London Road at around 3am on Sunday, April 24, after reports that a man had been attacked in a pub. The jury was told Scarborough had launched an unprovoked attack on her victim, pushing him to the floor, whilst shouting 'I'm going to kill you'. Scarborough sat on top of her victim, before pushing her fingers into the victim's eyes, causing the man, aged in his 50s, to permanently lose his sight in one eye. She was restrained by members of the public and arrested by officers at the scene. Just two days later on Tuesday, April 26, Scarborough was at a friend’s house when she attacked another man. She attacked him with a knife, stabbing him three times in his chest, neck and head and also breaking a glass bottle on the back of his head. The victim, a man in his 30s, sustained serious cuts, but went on to make a full recovery. Investigating officer, PC Hollie Winkless, said: “Scarborough’s victim. On Tuesday June 27, 2023 she was jailed for 18 years at Sheffield Crown Court, with 13 years to be served in custody and five years on extended licence.
3. Jermaine Richards: Life imprisonment with a minimum of 28 years behind bars
Jermaine Richards, aged 31, of Wordsworth Drive, Parson Cross, Sheffield, was given two opportunities to attend Sheffield Crown Court to be sentenced for the murder of David Ford, and serious assault upon Mr Ford’s son, Ryan, but declined to attend on both occasions. The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, adjourned Richards’ first sentencing hearing and urged him to ‘reflect,’ adjourning the passing of sentence until Monday, April 24, 2023. He sentenced him to life imprisonment, to serve a minumum of 26 years behind bars. Richards had sought to deny his guilt, but jurors found him guilty of Mr Ford’s murder, The court was told how in the moments before the fatal incident, David and Ryan Ford had met up to go on one of their regular fishing trips, and encountered Richards who was attempting to flee after causing £2,400 worth of damage to the security desk at Castle Hill Flats in the Hyde Park area of the city, before going on to damage a BMW vehicle in the car park of the complex. It was after the heroic father and son attempted to prevent Richards from making his escape that Richards subjected Ryan Ford to a beating, before stealing David Ford's Kia vehicle and initially driving away. “The defendant then deliberately drove the car at David Ford aiming for him whilst he was on the pavement in the vicinity of the electricity box. I have no doubt whatsoever that the defendant took aim at David Ford. The CCTV plainly reveals this,” Judge Richardson said, as he summarised the facts of the case.
![A ‘manipulative and predatory’ Sheffield paedophile sexually abused a boy who was just six-years-old when it began, after befriending his mother on social media and disarming those around his young victim through a grooming campaign.
Callous Sam Chetty remained silent as he was sent to prison during an emotionally-charged Sheffield Crown Court hearing on November 9, 2023.
Judge Rachael Harrison told Chetty: “This was a campaign of rape and sexual abuse for a period of more than a year, on a boy who was aged six and seven.”
The court was told how Chetty, aged 30, befriended the mother of the boy he abused on social media, and soon became friends with other family members.
Judge Harrison detailed how Chetty became a family friend who was entrusted to babysit the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and began taking him to ‘entertainment venues’.
“You spent money on [the boy] and his family,” Judge Harrison said.
She added: “I’m satisfied this was grooming behaviour against [the boy], both in terms of giving him attention and spending money on him. I’m satisfied you deliberately isolated him, taking him to different locations, including your flat.”
Judge Harrison jailed Chetty for 21 years, and said she considered it ‘necessary’ to impose an extended sentence of four years due to the risk of danger he poses to the public, bringing his total sentence to 25 years.
She told Chetty he will be required to serve two-thirds of his sentence behind bars, and will also be required to register as a sex offender.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2023/12/21/15/05/Sam%20Chetty%3A%2025-year%20sentence%20for%20%27manipulative%20and%20predatory%27%20paedophile.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
4. Sam Chetty: 25-year sentence for 'manipulative and predatory' paedophile
A ‘manipulative and predatory’ Sheffield paedophile sexually abused a boy who was just six-years-old when it began, after befriending his mother on social media and disarming those around his young victim through a grooming campaign. Callous Sam Chetty remained silent as he was sent to prison during an emotionally-charged Sheffield Crown Court hearing on November 9, 2023. Judge Rachael Harrison told Chetty: “This was a campaign of rape and sexual abuse for a period of more than a year, on a boy who was aged six and seven.” The court was told how Chetty, aged 30, befriended the mother of the boy he abused on social media, and soon became friends with other family members. Judge Harrison detailed how Chetty became a family friend who was entrusted to babysit the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and began taking him to ‘entertainment venues’. “You spent money on [the boy] and his family,” Judge Harrison said. She added: “I’m satisfied this was grooming behaviour against [the boy], both in terms of giving him attention and spending money on him. I’m satisfied you deliberately isolated him, taking him to different locations, including your flat.” Judge Harrison jailed Chetty for 21 years, and said she considered it ‘necessary’ to impose an extended sentence of four years due to the risk of danger he poses to the public, bringing his total sentence to 25 years. She told Chetty he will be required to serve two-thirds of his sentence behind bars, and will also be required to register as a sex offender.