Nine notorious Sheffield killers locked up for life for murders which shocked city
Between them they have killed children, partners and members of rival gangs.
By Claire Lewis
Published 17th Jan 2022, 18:52 GMT
Updated 20th Jan 2022, 13:49 GMT
They are now languishing behind bars for life, with some of the killers due to serve decades behind bars before they can even dream of tasting freedom again.
Some admitted their actions, many denied the charge of murder but were found guilty after trials.
Here The Star takes a look back at some of the killings which have really shocked Sheffielders over the years.
1. Martin Johnson
Martin Johnson was described as a ‘callous and cowardly’ killer for murdering his 23-month-old stepdaughter, Eriin Tomkin.
Johnson, who was 20 when he was handed a life sentence in 2019, was ordered to spend a minimum of 19 years behind bars.
Erin endured months of abuse at the hands of Johnson in the home they shared in Gleadless.
In the three months that Johnson had lived with Erin and her mum, the tot suffered a broken arm and multiple back fractures. She was found covered in bruises.
A head injury inflicted by Johnson proved fatal. Photo: SYP
Andrew Hill was jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 17 years behind bars after he killed a Sheffield doctor his wife had been having an affair with.
Hill, who was 49 when he was jailed in 2010, bludgeoned Dr Colin Shawcross to death in a jealous rage and then buried his body in woodland.
After carrying out the murder at Dr Shawcross' home, Hill put the body in the boot of the GP's Jaguar and drove it to woods in nearby Harthill, where he dug a five-foot deep grave.
He denied murder and refused to say where he had concealed the body of Dr Shawcross, who was a dad-of-three, before the remains were eventually found. Mr Justice Wilkie told Hill he had acted in a "devious, vengeful, cowardly and unmanly way" over the affair. Photo: SYP
Nigel Junior Ramsey was one of four members of a Sheffield gang locked up for a total of 110 years between them in 2009 for the murder of 17-year-old Tarek Chaiboub.
Tarek, who was carrying a gun himself, was shot in a 'wild west' style shootout at a barber's on Spital Street, Burngreave, in July 2008.
Nigel Junior Ramsey, his brother Denzil Ramsey, their next door neighbour Levan Menzies and pal Michael Chattoo were all involved in a plot to kill Tarek.
The men, who were all part of the S3 postcode gang operating in Burngreave and Pitsmoor at that time, wanted the teenager dead when rival factions in the gang clashed.
They blamed Tarek, of Castledine Gardens, Wincobank, for passing on information that led to the near-fatal stabbing of another S3 gang member.
Nigel Ramsey – known on the streets as ‘The General’ – and said to have been in charge of the younger members, organised the killing while behind bars.
Ramsey, formerly of Andover Street, Burngreave, was convicted of murder on the grounds that he ordered the shooting of Tarek from a smuggled phone in his prison cell when he was serving time for a stabbing.
He was jailed for a minimum of 35 years.
His ‘lieutenant’ Chattoo, formerly of Daniel Hill Street, Upperthorpe, was jailed for a minimum of 30 years; Ramsey’s brother Denzil, got 25 years and ‘foot soldier’ Menzies, received at least 20 years.
It was never proven who shot Tarek. Photo: SYP
A killer couple who murdered two of their children in Sheffield were jailed for life in November 2019 and each ordered to serve at least 35 years behind bars.
Sarah Barrass and Brandon Machin, who was her half-brother, had six children together during an incestuous relationship.
On Friday, May 24, 2019 they killed two of their sons - Tristan Barrass, 13 and his older brother Blake, 14 -by strangling the teenagers before placing bin bags over their heads in their family home on Gregg House Road, Shiregreen.
They also plotted to murder the other four children by poisoning them but their efforts failed.
The couple also attempted to drown one of the youngsters.
Barrass and Machin were said to have killed their children over fears they were at risk of being taken into care and that their sordid relationship would be revealed. Photo: SYP