Sheffield thug hacked at terrified man's car with a "machete" while victim was in the vehicle

Sheffield Crown Court heard on March 22 how Hamza Hussain, aged 34, of Club Garden Road, at Highfield, Sheffield, struck at a door and window of the man’s vehicle with what appeared to have been a machete and showered his victim in glass.

Judge Sarah Wright told Hussain: “In anger you confronted the complainant. You wielded a long machete-type weapon and broke his window showering him with glass. The tip of the weapon making contact with him and causing damage to the car.”

Neil Coxon, prosecuting, said Hussain and the complainant had been talking to each other from their vehicles at the junction of Sharrow Lane and Sitwell Road, near Highfield, when the defendant accused the complainant of being a grass and getting his associates into trouble.

Mr Coxon said the complainant recalls the defendant parking his vehicle before returning on foot holding something that appeared to be a machete which he used to hit a door and partially open window of his vehicle.

The complainant was showered with glass and the weapon made a slight contact with him and he claimed that if the car door had not been in the way he would have been seriously injured, according to Mr Coxon.

Mr Coxon said: “The weapon hit the car door and made a slight contact with the complainant and he observed had the car door not been in the way he would have been caused serious injury because of that weapon.”

He added that as the complainant tried to use his mobile phone to film the attack an unknown motorist collided with the complainant’s vehicle from behind.

Hussain, who has a previous conviction relating to prior offences including possessing an offensive weapon, pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article and to causing damage after the incident on April 28, 2021.

Defence barrister Matthew Moore-Taylor said Hussain’s previous conviction had been committed when he was only aged 17 and he is now a different person and he has a partner and a daughter.

Mr Moore-Taylor told the judge: “Immediate custody will result in significant harmful impact on others. Your Honour has heard he has a partner and a child.”

He added: “This is by his own admission an appalling piece of behaviour. There is no justification for it. You will notice his remorse.”

Mr Moore-Taylor said: “He is already suffering from the consequences of this behaviour. He has lost his job which he had for 13 years and his family are picking up the slack and he is supported by his father.”

Judge Wright told Hussain: “It’s extremely disturbing and worrying that you were in possession of such a dangerous weapon on the street and wielding it in the way you did.”

She recognised Hussain’s remorse and the potential impact a possible custodial term might have on his family before she sentenced him to 12 months of custody suspended for two years with 250 hours of unpaid work. Hussain was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation.