Devonshire Green Sheffield: Victim tells how car was pelted by city centre beggars, who attacked another man

A man has described how his car was pelted with stones and sticks after he declined to give money to a woman begging in Sheffield.

The victim also told how another person had been set upon that same night on Devonshire Green, in Sheffield city centre, by the same group of people, one of whom he said was armed with a knife.

Adnan Hussain told The Star he had been heading home in the early hours of last Wednesday, September 27, at around 12.50am, when a woman approached him on Egerton Street, near Devonshire Green, and asked him for money.

When he told her he didn't have any cash, he says she threw a brick at his car and she and four other people then began pelting his car with stones and sticks, damaging the vehicle.

Mr Hussain said another man was shortly after set upon by the same group of people on Devonshire Green, one of whom had a knife, while another was holding a wooden stick. He added that the attackers had a dog with them.

He says that man was attacked from behind and hit on the head by the assailants before he managed to hit two of them himself and flee.

Mr Hussain said: "They did this just because we hadn't given them money, even though not many people carry cash these days.

"You can't threaten people and attack them or damage their cars just because they won't give you money. It was so scary. It's left me terrified."

South Yorkshire Police confirmed that they had been called to reports of criminal damage that night. The force said enquiries were ongoing to identify the suspects using CCTV footage. Police did not confirm whether the alleged assault had been reported.