Man held in Sheffield murder probe

DETECTIVES investigating the murder of “dedicated family man” Simon Holdsworth in Sheffield have today arrested a 45-year-old man.
Victim Simon Holdsworth, aged 36, from Hackenthorpe.Victim Simon Holdsworth, aged 36, from Hackenthorpe.
Victim Simon Holdsworth, aged 36, from Hackenthorpe.

The body of the 36-year-old paint sprayer was found in a field in the Hackenthorpe area on the morning of December 17.

Mr Holdsworth had been working extra hours to buy presents for his fiancée and his step-son Tiarnan, who turned four on Christmas Eve. The keen Sheffield Wednesday fan was due to marry his partner next year and was trying to save money for their honeymoon.

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South Yorkshire Police announced today that they have arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of his murder. He is currently in custody and being questioned by detectives.

A force spokeswoman said: “The family of Simon Holdsworth have been made aware of the arrest.”

The body of Mr Holdsworth, from Hackenthorpe, was discovered in a field off Birley Spa Lane, at about 6.30am on December 17.

The previous night, he had finished work at FBS Prestige in Intake, where he worked as a sprayer, at 10.55pm.

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A colleague gave him a lift from their workplace to a bus stop in Mansfield Road, close to the Noah’s Ark pub, where he got on the number 120 First Bus shortly after 11pm.

He got off that bus at his usual stop, close to the Hogs Head pub, around 10 minutes later. However, he never made it home that night. His body was found by a member of the public the following morning.

A post-mortem examination revealed he had died from head injuries, which had possibly been inflicted with a blunt object.

Police last week urged friends, colleagues and acquaintances of Mr Holdsworth to come forward and said he was unlikely to have been the victim of a “random attack by a complete stranger”.