'This is what you get for being a wasteman,' Sheffield man said after fatally assaulting 'uncle', jury told

59-year-old Michael Rose was formally pronounced dead by a paramedic at 11.29pm on July 23, 2022, shortly after being assaulted on Bowshaw Close in the Batemoor area of Sheffield. A post-mortem examination subsequently carried out on Mr Rose concluded that he died as a result of head injuries.

21-year-old Levi Hampsey is accused of the manslaughter of Mr Rose, an offence he denies. Prosecuting barrister, Richard Thyne KC, told a jury of nine women and three men it is the Crown's case that a man captured assaulting Mr Rose on CCTV taken from the Bowshaw Close cul-de-sac in the minutes before his death is Mr Hampsey.

Mr Thyne said the prosecution believe Mr Hampsey hit the deceased out of 'anger' - and not self-defence as he has claimed to police; and that the assault Mr Rose was subjected to 'led to his death'.

As the jury were shown CCTV of the assault during the opening of the Sheffield Crown Court trial on July 3, 2023, Mr Thyne said it was for them to determine what they believe the footage shows, but provided the following summary: "Levi Hampsey arrives in his vehicle on Bowshaw Close, Michael approaches the driver's side door and stands there for a few seconds. It's not clear at that point if any words were exchanged.

"So, we say Levi Hampsey has then driven his vehicle into the parking area, and you will see Michael Rose following towards the car. It will be for you to decide what is then shown on the CCTV. This is what the prosecution say occurs: Michael stands by the driver's door, there's some discussion, the defendant then gets out of the car and jumps to the side. The prosecution say Michael can be seen to have his arms stretched out to the sides. We say the defendant points his arm towards Michael Rose's face...Michael with his arms outstretched steps towards the defendant, and it's at that point that the defendant punches him to the face, knocking him backwards to the ground. The defendant then approaches and delivers three more blows.

"And then, as he walks away, the prosecution says he appears to be gesticulating, gesturing aggressively towards Michael Rose, as he's on the ground. He [Mr Hampsey] gets in his car, and drives slowly away."

Mr Thyne told the jury that a couple living in a first floor flat located near to where the assault took place came to the window after hearing 'shouting outside'.

"[She] looked out to see what was happening. She saw one man punch another man in the face, causing him to fall back and hit his head on the ground. Her partner joined her at the window. He could see a man laid on the floor with another man stood over him, shouting...he was swinging his arms around," Mr Thyne said.

The witnesses then said they heard the man stood over the man on the floor say: 'This is what you get for being a wasteman'.

The pair then went outside to administer CPR on Mr Rose, and called an ambulance, the jury heard. Paramedics were called to the scene, but Mr Rose was pronounced dead a short time later.

Mr Thyne said Mr Hampsey, of Lowedges Crescent in Lowedges, Sheffield is an 'extended member' of Mr Rose's family, but refers to him as his 'uncle'.

The jury were read the transcript of a 999 call to the police made by Mr Hampsey at 11.42pm on the evening of Mr Rose's death, in which he said: "I'm ringing to hand myself in, after an accident that's just happened...my uncle died, I hit him, I think I've killed him. I think he tried to grab something out of his waistline. As soon as I see him do that, I just hit him one time. I tried to catch him from falling, but he hit the ground. I told my girlfriend to ring an ambulance."

Mr Thyne told the jury that in the police interview that followed that call, Mr Hampsey 'accepted hitting Mr Rose once, but maintained it was in self-defence, or he believed Mr Rose was about to pull a weapon from his waistband'.

"The prosecution do say that the punch he [Mr Hampsey] threw was unlawful, it wasn't in self-defence, it was thrown in anger, hence why he faces a charge of manslaughter," Mr Thyne said, and told the jury that the prosecution do not suggest Mr Hampsey intended to cause Mr Rose 'really serious harm,' which is why he is not on trial for the charge of murder.

Mr Thyne described how in the minutes leading up to Mr Rose's death, he had visited his former address on the Bowshaw Close cul-de-sac where his son, daughter and step-son lived, all of whom were under 16 at the time of the incident; and had remonstrated with his son and step-son outside the family home after arriving there at around 10.23pm. The children were home alone, while their mother was away in Derby on a date, the court heard. Mr Hampsey's partner had been tasked with babysitting the three children, but was working.

The jury were also shown CCTV footage, which Mr Thyne said shows Mr Rose driving his vehicle 'up the footpath towards his children far too close for safety, before turning it around,' after which point he drove away.

Mr Rose's daughter subsequently contacted Mr Hampsey's partner, and she arrived on Bowshaw Close at around 10.37pm, and sent a message to Mr Hampsey saying: "Ring me when you can," followed by another in which she suggested Mr Rose had attempted to run his two sons over, the court heard.

Mr Thyne said Mr Rose returned to Bowshaw Close in his vehicle at 10.45pm, and just three minutes later, Mr Hampsey arrived in his car, after which point, the assault took place.

The jury were told that prior to Mr Rose and the mother of his three children splitting up in 2019, Mr Rose had become 'physically and emotionally abusive' towards her, culminating in an incident in which the police were called.

"She didn't want to pursue the complaint with the police, but she ended the relationship," Mr Thyne said.

Mr Hampsey denies the manslaughter of Mr Rose. The trial continues.