The week's biggest cases with criminals brought to justice for murder, sex crimes and cannabis production

Dozens of defendants find out their fate during sentencing hearings held across Sheffield Crown Court’s (SCC) 10 court rooms every week, and we have reporters present in many cases to bring you all of the details.

Offenders have been sentenced for crimes including sexual activity with a child; producing cannabis and affray.

Emanuel Marku: Cash-strapped man oversaw cannabis crop to pay off £30k debt

SCC heard on July 22 how Albanian national Emanuel Marku, aged 22, was found in the attic of a property on Arbourthorne Road, Arbourthorne, Sheffield, where police had discovered 109 cannabis plants during a raid.

Nicola Quinney, prosecuting, said police executed a search warrant at the property on February 22 and discovered a cannabis grow across five rooms including 109 plants and found Marku hiding in the attic.

Ms Quinney added: “The defendant gave a full account in his police interview asserting that he ran up a large debt in Albania due to his gambling and drug abuse.”

Marku, of Arbourthorne Road, at Arbourthorne, Sheffield, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to producing class B drug cannabis after the raid, and Judge Rachael Harrison sentenced him to 15 months’ custody.

Amrit Jhagra: Teen is found guilty of murdering two revellers

Sheffield Crown Court heard on July 21 how Amrit Jhagra, aged 19, of Cedar Road, at Balby, Doncaster, was found guilty by a trial jury of murdering Janis Kozlovskis and Ryan Theobald on High Street, in Doncaster city centre, and he was also found guilty of possessing an offensive weapon.

Richard Thyne QC, prosecuting, previously told the jury 17-year-old Janis Kozlovskis and 20-year-old Ryan Theobald had left CoCo nightclub, on Silver Street, with friends when Janis Kozlovskis approached one of Jhagra’s two friends and they began fighting and moved to High Street in the early hours of Saturday, January 29.

Mr Thyne said Ryan Theobald also threw a punch at Jhagra’s friend and after Jhagra swung at Ryan Theobald he pursued the defendant but was stabbed.

Jhagra then chased Janis Kozlovskis and as he went to the ground he was repeatedly stabbed, according to Mr Thyne.

Mr Justice Choudhury adjourned Jhagra’s sentencing hearing until August 18 to allow for the consideration of a pre-sentence report.

Alex Gregory: Paedophile jailed for grooming teenage girls

Alex Gregory, aged 27, was arrested in January 2020 after a 14-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, disclosed that Gregory had sexually assaulted her.

A police investigation revealed that Gregory had been approaching teenage girls on social media where he would befriend them, before offering them lifts and giving them cigarettes.

Detective Constable Joanne Smithson, from Rotherham’s child sexual exploitation team, said: “Gregory’s behaviour was predatory and exploitative – he clearly knew that the girls he was targeting were underage.”

He pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child under 16 at an earlier hearing.

Gregory, formerly of Parson Cross, Sheffield, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on July 18 when he was jailed for three years and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Sheffield Crown Court heard on July 14 how Aron Anghel, aged 35, of Lovetot Road, at Wingfield, Rotherham, had previously stolen a Range Rover and driven it dangerously during a police pursuit in December, 2020, before he stole a Nissan Micra, in December, 2021, and drove away from officers with his young son and nephew as passengers.

Judge Michael Slater told Anghel: “I regard this as an extremely serious matter. You made a sustained and determined effort to avoid being detained by the police which involved a police car being damaged in the course of the pursuit by your vehicle, and other road-users being placed at risk.

“To top it all you had your son and nephew in the car at the time risking their lives as well as your own.”

Prosecuting barrister Mr West said the Nissan Micra had been stolen from Hanover Street, Sheffield, on December 14, 2021, and officers who had been on the Stocksbridge Bypass spotted the vehicle being driven in Wortley but Anghel refused to stop.

The defendant crossed both carriageways into the path of on-coming vehicles as he performed a u-turn and he headed off towards Manchester, according to Mr West.

The defendant, who has seven previous convictions for 14 offences, pleaded guilty to the theft of the Range Rover and to dangerous driving after the incident on December 11, 2020.

Anghel also pleaded guilty to the theft of the Nissan Micra and to dangerous driving from December 14, 2021, and to driving without insurance and without a licence.

Judge Michael Slater jailed him for two years and banned him from driving for 42 months.

Ruzhdie Raga: Convicted illegal immigrant caught overseeing cannabis crop for second time

Sheffield Crown Court heard on July 13 how Ruzhdie Raga, aged 29, was found at a property on Alexandra Road, Balby, Doncaster, with 224 cannabis plants across different rooms with growing equipment and by-passed electricity.

Ryan Donoghue, prosecuting, said police forced entry to the locked property as part of an immigration investigation relating to another person but they discovered the cannabis harvest, growing equipment and that the electricity had been by-passed.

Albanian-speaking Raga was also found at the property with £512 in cash and a mobile phone with evidence that the property was being lived in, according to Mr Donoghue.

The defendant, of Exmouth Place, Bradford, who has a previous conviction for a similar offence from October, 2020, pleaded guilty to producing class B drug cannabis after the raid on June 21, this year.

Judge David Dixon jailed him for three years.

Ryan Winter: Booze-fuelled thug threatened to kick baby out of pregnant partner

Sheffield Crown Court heard on July 13 how Ryan Winter, aged 28, of Grove Place, Doncaster, had subjected his seven-month pregnant partner to verbal and physical abuse before he threatened their unborn child.

Louise Gallagher, prosecuting, said Winter had returned home after drinking during the day and as he was shouting and slurring his words he abused his partner.

Ms Gallagher added: “He pushed the victim with an open hand to the back and caused her to fall into an oven and grabbed a phone from her hand.

"The victim described herself as incredibly distressed and she tried to get outside of the house.”

Winter grabbed his partner’s head and pushed the right side of her face into a wall, according to Ms Gallagher, and told her to call her mum back and not to call the police.

Ms Gallagher added Winter said he was going to “kick the baby out of her” before he put his arm around her throat in a headlock and as her mother heard this over a phone call she hung up and called 999.

The defendant, who has 12 convictions for 18 offences, pleaded guilty to affray after the incident on April 28 and Judge David Dixon jailed him for 20 months.