Jail for 'despicable' thug who stabbed ex-partner with screwdriver and stamped on Sheffield stranger's head

Sending defendant Brett Thompson to begin his prison sentence, the judge, Recorder Anthony Hawks told him: “You are – in my judgement – a violent man, someone who poses a risk to women and members of the public.”

During a March 14 hearing at Sheffield Crown Court, prosecutor, Stuart Bell, said Thompson’s first attack was carried out against his ex-partner, with whom he has a child, on November 9, 2021.

Mr Bell said Thompson, aged 35, and his ex-partner – the complainant – had both been spending time at the Merrie Monk pub in Manor Park, Sheffield, in the hours leading up to the attack.

“She can’t remember leaving the pub, and the next thing she remembers is police officers standing over her,” Mr Bell said, adding that officers were called to the scene after a member of the public reported seeing a male assaulting a woman while she was on the ground.

“She was very distressed. The left side of her face was swollen, with bruising around her eye,” Mr Bell continued.

The complainant visited hospital following the incident, and was found to have sustained injuries including two fractures to her left eye socket, and associated swelling and bruising, the court heard.

Thompson, of HMP Doncaster, struck again on August 1, 2022, when he attacked the complainant while she was locked in his home, after he invited her there to charge her phone after the pair had both spent time at the same pub, while in separate groups.

Summarising the violence, Recorder Hawks told Thompson: “You stabbed her through her dress in the buttock with a screwdriver, when she tried to leave you grabbed her by the throat…you repeatedly banged her head against the floor, you smashed her telephone.”

In a statement read to the court, the complainant said the incident had really ‘shocked’ her.

“I can’t believe he stabbed me. If he’s willing to do that to the mother of his child, he could do anything,” she said.

In between the two attacks carried out against his former partner, Thompson – along with two others – assaulted a stranger, the second complainant, while the lone man was walking along Carver Street, Sheffield city centre, in the early hours of November 27, 2021.

Mr Bell said the second complainant was ‘punched to the floor,’ where he received ‘further blows’ and was hit over the back of the head with an implement he believed to be a bottle.

“The defendant stamped on [the second complainant’s head] at least twice before the assault appears to end because members of the public tried to help,” said Mr Bell. The second complainant was found to have suffered bruised ribs and swelling in the incident.

Thompson, who has convictions for 37 previous offences including sexual assault, robbery and affray, was charged with and pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, wounding without intent and two counts of criminal damage at an earlier hearing.

Sean Fritchley, defending, said Thompson was ‘genuinely remorseful’ and acknowledged he had behaved in a ‘despicable manner’.

“He tells me that from earlier in 2021, through to August of last year, he had been going through a bad time. He lost his grandparents, and had various issues in his life and didn’t deal with them well. He accepts alcohol was in the background. He behaved in a despicable manner,” said Mr Fritchley.

Mr Fritchley directed Recorder Hawks to a letter Thompson had written to him.

Referencing the letter, Mr Hawks told Thompson: “You say you love her [the complainant]. All I can say is – you’ve got a funny way of showing it.”

Recorder Hawks jailed Thompson for 54 months, and granted a 10-year restraining order, preventing him from contacting the complainant.

*There are a range of services available locally in Sheffield for women who are victims or survivors of domestic abuse.

You can ring the Sheffield Domestic Abuse Co-ordination Team helpline on 0808 808 2241 for advice and support, to find out which services can help and to get in touch with other services. Or you can contact organisations directly.