All of the 14 serious criminals pictured here have been jailed during Sheffield Crown Court hearings held in October 2023.
Defendants charged with the most serious crimes committed in South Yorkshire are sent to be dealt with at Sheffield Crown Court.
Across 10 Sheffield court rooms, criminal judges dispense with countless cases every week.
In the cases of these defendants pictured here, judges felt these criminals could not be dealt with in the community and every single one of them is now serving time at His Majesty's Pleasure.
Some of these defendants were convicted after a trial, while others acknowledged their wrong-doing through guilty pleas.
The shortest sentence passed for these defendants was 21 months behind bars, and the longest was 20 years' custody.
1. Jailed during October 2023
All of the defendants pictured here have been jailed during Sheffield Crown Court hearings held in October 2023. Top row: Mustafa Mahmood. Bottom row, left to right: Paul Blackshaw; Marsid Senia and Mentor Selmani
2. Mustafa Mahmood: Drug dealer who filmed himself rolling in cash jailed after police raid house
Mustafa Mahmood - AKA Boosta - is now starting a six and a half year prison sentence after admitting possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply and concerns in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine. Mahmood, of Firth Park Road, Firth Park, took pictures of himself literally rolling in cash, and police have now released the photos. He boasted about his earnings by filming himself lying down with wads of £50/£20 notes. When police raided his home address on April 25, 2023, they found a wooden chair which was being used as a ‘chopping board’ for Mahmood to cut up lines of crack cocaine and heroin. Mahmood, aged 28, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to supply and concerns in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine. He was sentenced to six years and six months in prison after appearing before Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday, October 12, 2023.
3. Marsid Senia and Mentor Selmani: Manslaughter duo jailed for 33 years over fatal street brawl
Two men convicted of manslaughter over their roles in a huge Sheffield street brawl which led to the death of a 22-year-old have been put behind bars. Armend Xhika died of stab wounds following a mass brawl between two groups of Albanian men on Earl Marshall Road in Fir Vale, Sheffield on May 13, 2021. South Yorkshire Police say the brawl was 'arranged' following a road traffic collision, which took place earlier that day, after one of the groups blamed Mr Xhika for the crash. Marsid Senia, aged 26 (left), and 29-year-old Mentor Selmani (right) were found guilty of manslaughter in connection with Mr Xhika's death at the conclusion of a Sheffield Crown Court trial in July 2023. And on Thursday, October 19, 2023, after more than two years of waiting, Mr Xhika's family were finally given justice when two of the people responsible for his untimely death were jailed for a combined total of 33 years, four months during a Sheffield Crown Court hearing. Describing the roles of Selmani and Senia, the judge, Mr Justice Nicholas Hilliard, told the court that although the evidence did not suggest either defendant was the knifeman who inflicted the fatal stab wound upon Mr Xhika, both were part of a group which 'encouraged' and 'assisted' the killer. Passing sentence, Mr Justice Hilliard said the severity of the case demands 'significant sentences' and jailed Selmani, of Matcham Road, Stratford, London for 20 years; while Senia, of Burnett Street, Bradford was sentenced to 13 years, four months behind bars. Both defendants were told they must serve at least two-thirds of their sentence in custody; and that they will be deported upon their release from prison.
4. Keiron Hinds and Femi Solesi: Sheffield man jailed over £250k plot to smuggle ketamine and ecstasy through post
Two men who were caught trying to smuggle large quantities of ketamine and ecstasy into the UK through the post have been jailed for a total of 17 years. On Sunday, April 11, 2021, a parcel from the Netherlands that was destined for an address in Sheffield was intercepted at East Midlands Airport by a UK Border Force officer. On examination, the package contained suspected Class A and B drugs. Forensic examination revealed the powder and tablets to be 3kg of ketamine and 15,000 ecstasy tablets, with a combined street value of up to £250,000. The investigation led police to Sheffield man Keiron Hinds (right) and his friend Femi Solesi, from Northampton. The court heard Hinds and Solesi had exchanged a number of messages via WhatsApp, while planning to import the drugs into the UK. Following the seizure of the package at the airport, Solesi then travelled to Sheffield to try and locate both Hinds and the drugs. The pair were arrested and interviewed. Hinds claimed he had no knowledge of what was in the package and was taking delivery as a favour to a friend. Solesi declined to comment. Hinds, aged 29, of Wingfield Crescent, Birley, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to evade duty on the prohibition of the importation of controlled drugs in October 2022. Solesi, 29 of Dallington Haven, Northampton, was found guilty of three counts of evasion of duty on the prohibition of the importation of controlled drugs on 30 June, following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court. On Wednesday, October 11 both men were jailed - Solesi for 11 years and Hinds for six years.