Drunken reveller lured to house and attacked

A MAN who lured a drunken reveller back to his Sheffield home with the promise of a lift before robbing and beating him has been sent to prison.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how in the early hours of January 29 Anthony Sumner, 38, struck up a conversation with a drunken man in his 20s who was wandering around Sheffield city centre alone.

Prosecuting, Stephanie Hollis, told the court that Sumner’s victim, who was visiting Sheffield for the weekend, had become separated from his friends after he left the club they had been visiting together in order to go for a cigarette.

When he tried to return to the club he was refused entry by a bouncer who believed he was too drunk. It was at this point that Sumner approached the man, who was described as ‘stumbling’ through the city centre. Recorder Fiona Davies told Sumner: “He was clearly vulnerable and you, Sumner, took advantage of that.”

Sumner then walked the man to his home address in Norman Croft Drive, Norfolk Park, the court was told.

After a short while the man came to realise Sumner had no intention of organising him a lift home so tried to leave, at which point Sumner attacked him.

Recorder Davies said: “You jumped on him from behind, pulled his jumper over his head and demanded his stuff.

“You stole from him an expensive watch worth £1,400, his wallet containing his credit cards and also a gold chain worth £380.”

The man was left with cuts and bruises following the attack.

After the man left, Sumner handed his bank cards over to his friend Paul Ashmore, 34, of High Street Lane, Park Hill.

Ashmore, along with an accomplice, then went into town and fraudulently withdrew £250 on a number of occasions.

Sumner admitted one count of robbery at an earlier hearing, while Ashmore pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation and one of handling stolen goods.

Recorder Davies sentenced Sumner to four years in prison and Ashmore to ten months.