These offenders from across South Yorkshire and the region include murderers and sex offenders who were finally brought to justice at Sheffield Crown Court and Derby Crown Court in 2022.
One murderer, Damien Bendall, killed his partner, her two children and their young friend and was sentenced to a ‘whole life’ term of imprisonment which means he will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Other offenders have also been taken off the streets for a very long time. These include a sex-offender who abused two children and was jailed for 31 years, a violent rapist who was sentenced to 18 years of custody and offenders linked to drug gangs who resorted to murder.
1. Bovic Mupolo
The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, jailed 21-year-old murderer Bovic Mupolo, pictured, for life, to serve a minimum of 18 years after a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court in November. The court heard during a two-week trial how Mupolo, of Fleury Rise, Gleadless, Sheffield, had denied murdering Macaulay Byrne following an alleged ‘fight’ involving Mupolo and Mr Byrne outside the Gypsy Queen pub, in Beighton, on Boxing Day, 2021. But a jury found Mupolo guilty of murder after they heard that Mr Byrne had suffered four stab wounds, with two of them proving fatal, as he staggered back into the pub and bled out profusely behind the bar. Photo: SYP
2. Louis Williams
Pictured is Louis Williams, aged 39, of Huntingtower Road, near Greystones, Sheffield, who was convicted after a trial of three counts of rape, one count of indecent assault, ten counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, five counts of making threats to kill and one count relating to disturbing behaviour. Williams was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court in December, 2022, to 18 years of custody. Photo: SYP
3. Damien Bendall
Derby Crown Court heard on December 21, 2022, how Damien Bendall, aged 32, pleaded guilty to murdering his partner Terri Harris, her children John Paul Bennett and Lacey Bennett and Lacey’s friend, Connie Gent, after an horrific incident at the couple's shared home on Chandos Cresent, in Killamarsh, in September, 2021. Bendall also admitted raping 11-year-old Lacey during the rampage. The judge – Mr Justice Nigel Sweeney – sentenced Bendall to a ‘whole life sentence’ which means he will remain incarcerated for the remainder of his life. Photo: SYP
4. Steven Ling
Booze-fuelled reveller Steven Ling, pictured, who beat a suspected thief to death was sentenced to life imprisonment after he had been found guilty of murder. Sheffield Crown Court heard during a trial how Steven Ling, aged 38, of Park Drain, Westwoodside, Doncaster, had pleaded not guilty to murdering Mateusz Chojnowski after his victim was found fatally injured behind The Salutation Inn, on South Parade, near Doncaster city centre. But after a jury found Ling guilty of murdering the 28-year-old Polish man the judge – Mr Justice Lavender –sentenced Ling to life imprisonment on December 20, 2022, with a minimum term of 16 years before he can be considered for release. Photo: SYP