Sheffield thug attacked fellow drug-user and stole her cash

Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 17 how Paul Haigh, aged 48, of Deer Park View, Stannington, Sheffield, had met a fellow drug-user and she had paid for drugs for them both and had loaned Haigh money before he attacked her and stole her cash.

Prosecuting barrister Benjamin Bell said the complainant had been collecting her Universal Credit vouchers when the two met and the woman gave him money to buy drugs for them and he also asked to borrow money from her.

But Mr Bell added that after a discussion about money at the defendant’s flat he grabbed the woman, took her to the floor and kicked and punched her while demanding money. Following a struggle he grabbed her in the garden and stole her money.

Mr Bell said: “He took the money out of her hand and as soon as he had the money he went back to the flat.”

Haigh, who has 36 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to theft and assault occasioning actual bodily harm after the incident in June, 2022.

Rebecca Tanner defending said: “It’s plainly a very ugly incident indeed, passing the custody threshold. The question I invite the court to consider is whether the sentence can be suspended because of the progress he has made and the context and his personal mitigation.”

Haigh had separated from his partner, according to MsTanner, and was homeless at the time. During the Covid-19 pandemic his benefits were suspended and he could not get medication for a borderline personality disorder.

Ms Tanner said Haigh has been supportive to his ex-partner and her children after she endured a cancer scare and any incarceration would affect them especially now that the defendant is so involved in his children’s lives.

She added Haigh, who now only uses cannabis, has also already spent some time in custody including on remand and for another matter.

Judge Peter Kelson KC told Haigh: “You have a lot to thank Ms Tanner for because I thought I would be sending you to prison today.”

He sentenced Haigh to 18 months of custody suspended for two years with a rehabilitation requirement and a 12-month ban from having any contact with the complainant.