Sheffield crime: Killers, rapists and voyeur amongst those recently jailed at Sheffield Crown Court
Other criminals put behind bars include a dangerous driver, a 'predatory' groomer and a deported cannabis farmer who was caught out within days of returning to the UK.
The eight defendants included in this list have all been sent to serve time at His Majesty's Pleasure, during Sheffield Crown Court hearings held this month.
Some of the defendants were convicted after a trial, while others acknowledged their wrong doing through guilty pleas.
The longest sentence passed down by Sheffield judges was life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 18 years, while the shortest was one of eight months.
5. Darren Lidster: Drugged-up criminal ram-raided Rotherham business before threatening man with broken bottle
Sheffield Crown Court heard how Darren Lidster’s latest crime spree began in the early hours of December 22, 2023, when he used a white Audi vehicle - stolen by others - to ram raid CA-Parts Ltd on Muglet Lane in Maltby, Rotherham, causing thousands of pounds of damage. Describing what Lidster did next, the judge, Recorder Andrew Smith MBE, said: "At 5 o’clock in the morning, very shortly after this ram raid, the complainant was setting off early to go to work. He was checking his tyres. Two men came up to him, asking to borrow a spanner. Whether or not that was subterfuge isn’t clear." "You ended up opening his car door, no doubt looking for something to steal…you then pulled out a broken bottle," Recorder Smith said, adding that Lidster’s unnamed companion had the 'sense to see where things were going' and try and persuade Lidster to stop what he was doing - but to no avail. Prosecutor, Joseph Bell, said Lidster, aged 37, then began to 'wave the broken bottle around in the direction' of the complainant. Lidster pleaded guilty to charges of a non-dwelling burglary, handling stolen goods and threatening behaviour in relation to this latest set of offences at an earlier hearing. Jailing Lidster for 19 months, Recorder Smith told him: "The ball’s very much in your court, Mr Lidster, you can’t go on like this. There’s got to come a time when you draw a line under this."
6. Stephen Lee: 'Disturbing' Sheffield man used hidden camera to spy on young woman & see her naked
A Sheffield man who secretly spied on a young woman using a hidden camera has been jailed. Stephen Lee, of Eastcroft Glen, Westfield, Sheffield, was arrested by officers after a secret recording saw him admit to getting a "thrill" out of seeing the victim in her underwear or naked. Lee, aged 56, who also offered to pay his victim for sex, appeared before Sheffield Crown Court on March 5, 2024 where he pleaded guilty to the offence of voyeurism. Last Thursday (March 21, 2023), Lee was sentenced to 12 months in prison at the same court, with the defendant also made subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and a 15-year restraining order which prevents him contacting the victim.
7. Luke Whitfield: 'Predatory' Sheffield man bragged of meeting underage girls and having abuse images saved on devices
Luke Whitfield was arrested by officers following information received by police, with his digital devices seized and analysed. Work by digital forensics revealed that his devices contained over 100 indecent images of children. The 34-year-old had shown another man evidence of conversations with underage girls and several photographs of young children, with chats also showing how he had arranged to meet one underage child. He laughed and asked "how old do you think they are?" and said that he had "downloaded multiple photos and videos". Whtifield, previously of Grimesthorpe Road, Sheffield, also showed the man another video telling him it was "our little secret", before boasting of being "too clever for police". When questioned by officers, Whitfield claimed he had been "set up" and denied arranging to meet an underage child despite evidence on his phone showing otherwise. He later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and 13 counts of attempting to incite or engage in sexual communication with a child. Whitfield was jailed for five years and nine months at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
8. Sajmo Blogu: Deported cannabis farmer caught again in Rotherham within days of returning to the UK
Defendant, Sajmo Blogu, was deported to Albania upon release from the custodial element of a 32-month sentence for production of cannabis, after being convicted of the offence in August 2021. Blogu’s barrister, Michael Cane-Soothill told Sheffield Crown Court that the defendant remained in Albania for around 16 months, before returning to the UK in January 2023, around 10 days before committing another offence relating to the production of cannabis. Prosecutor, Matthew Burdon, said Blogu’s latest cannabis criminality was uncovered by police officers on ‘routine patrol’ in the Parkgate area of Rotherham on January 19, 2023, after their attention was drawn to a grey Mercedes vehicle travelling in the area. "They followed that vehicle, eventually stopping in Greasbrough. Road police spoke to the sole occupant of the vehicle, which was this defendant," Mr Burdon said, adding that checks carried out by officers revealed he had a previous conviction for cannabis cultivation. Subsequent searches carried out by officers revealed there was a 'large amount of cash' stored within the centre console of the vehicle, and that Blogu was in possession of two sets of keys, Mr Burdon continued. Mr Burdon said officers then searched an address used in correspondence that was also found within the central console of the vehicle being driven by Blogu. One of the sets of keys found in Blogu's possession worked on the front door to the property; and once inside, officers found 75 cannabis plants drying within the property, along with 'stems of cannabis and plants with buds'.
Blogu, aged 36, pleaded guilty to a charge of being concerned in the production of cannabis at an earlier hearing. The judge, Recorder Anthony Kelbrick, jailed Blogu for 40 months, and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the cannabis recovered, and the forfeiture of the cash seized.