Sheffield man slashed friend in 'terrifying' booze-fuelled rage after internet was turned off in their flat

Defendant Simon Caley carried out the shocking attack at the Sheffield flat he shared with the complainant on March 22 last year, and Sheffield Crown Court heard how in the hours beforehand, Caley, the complainant and a third male had been drinking in the flat together.

During an August 25 hearing, prosecuting barrister, Richard Davies, described how the third male left the property at around 8pm that evening, by which point Caley had ‘become argumentative.

Caley went into his room and the complainant could hear him ‘smashing items’ and causing ‘damage to the door frame’.

Mr Davies said: “The complainant could see he was behaving like this because he was in drink. The complainant decided to go to bed at around 8.15pm...he told the defendant he needed to get some sleep, and turned the internet off so the defendant couldn’t stay up until the early hours playing computer games.”

The complainant went into his bedroom and said goodnight to Caley, with whom he was ‘good friends’ until this incident took place, but Caley, aged 33, began remonstrating with him, took his belt off and started making a ‘whipping motion’ with it, Mr Davies told the court.

Mr Davies added: “He then attempted to put his belt around the complainant’s neck, but the complainant managed to grab it.”

The court heard how the complainant subsequently went into the living room to get his phone, but Caley followed him, demanded he hand over his phone, before taking it from him.

Mr Davies described how Caley then went on to squeeze the complainant’s throat ‘making it hard for him to breathe’ and pushed him into the kitchen, before picking up a bread knife with a lacerated edge, around 15cm in length.

Caley, of Beighton Road, Woodhouse, then went on to press the knife to the complainant’s throat before slashing his thumb; and the complainant then fled to the home of a neighbour and police were called to the scene.

The injury to the complainant’s thumb required surgery, and in a series of statements to the court, the complainant described how he is still receiving treatment for the injury and also has a permanent scar.

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He added: “I definitely feel like this incident has changed me as a person, I keep getting angry, which isn’t like me...this incident affects me on a daily basis.

“I feel like Simon needs to be punished for what he has put me through.”

The complainant also told the court that he had allowed Caley to stay in his flat, and felt he had done everything he could to help him.

Caley pleaded guilty to a charge of Section 20 wounding at an earlier hearing.

The court heard how Caley had initially been charged with wounding with intent, but Caley subsequently indicated that he was willing to plead guilty to the lesser charge of a Section 20 wounding, and this was eventually accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Defending, Richard Barradell, said: “Simon Caley is very sorry for what happened that night, and remembers little about it. He does accept that he had drunk too much. He accepts that drink was a problem for him.”

He added: “When he saw the blood the defendant quickly sobered up...and realised what he had done.”

"[It took] 11 months to charge someone who was arrested on the night, and really is a significant delay.”

Judge Graham Robinson told Caley: “You recognise that what you did must have been absolutely terrifying.”

He said he believes Caley has a ‘realistic prospect of rehabilitation’ and sentenced him to 17 months’ custody, suspended for two years, ordered him to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and granted a restraining order which prevents Caley from contacting the complainant.

"You have genuine remorse, and the fact you have stayed out of trouble for 17 months is a positive,” added Judge Robinson.