Teenagers laughed after 'raining blows with knives' in vicious attempted murder attack in Yorkshire

Leon Sykes, aged 19, and Ramaray Treasure, 18, chased a man on West Street and descended on him with knives during the attack on March 9.

The pair were sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday (Mar 21) after leaving their 30-year-old victim with 30 different wounds, including a punctured lung. He needed four bags worth in an emergency blood transfusion, and evidence showed the knives miraculously missed piercing his hear by a centimetre.

Sheffield Crown Court heard the entire attack was caught live on an active CCTV camera.

Just minutes after the attack, as the pair ran away to Pound’s Park and ‘high-fived’ each other over the beating, officers with tasers arrived and ordered them to the ground.

Neither defendant has even given up why they targeted and nearly killed their victim in the first place, and the attack came after they savagely chased a different man earlier that night on Carver Street.

Sentencing the pair, Judge Graham Reeds KC said: “You both participated in a brutal and sustained attack in an attempt to murder a man you did not know over a conflict that has not been brought to light.”

CCTV showed how Sykes and Treasure - who were 18 and 17 at the time - ambushed their victim near a bus stop on West Street before chasing him down until he tripped and fell.

A brave member of the public acted quickly and ran over in an attempt to stop them, but the pair kept swinging down at the man with weapons in hand.

The member of the public described the attack as “raining blows,” saying he was “stunned by the level of violence.”

The two teenagers made no comment in their police interviews but later pleaded guilty to attempted murder.

The court heard both young men had “genuine remorse” for their near fatal actions, and were heavily intoxicated on “champagne and vodka” at the time. Treasure claims he has little memory of the attack all.

It was also claimed they had “no plan” to attack anyone that night and carried their knives out of “fear.”

However, the court heard Sykes had also been handed a community order for carrying a knife just weeks before the attack.

“That, evidently, did nothing to stop you carrying a knife once again,” said the judge.

“It was more by luck that he survived. Had he not had early surgical intervention it is likely he would have died. The consequences of what you did remains with him to this day.”

Sykes, of Victoria Street, Stocksbridge, was jailed for 13 years and eight months. Treasure, of Tansley Street, was jailed for 12 years. Both will begin their sentences in young offender institutes.

Detective Constable Gareth Rees, of South Yorkshire Police, said: "Treasure and Sykes launched an horrendous and random attack on a victim who they chased through a busy city centre street and stabbed multiple times in full view of passers-by and a businessman operating a food truck.

"The attack was interrupted by an incredibly brave member of the public who rushed to the man's aid. The victim suffered extremely serious injuries which were initially considered to be life-threatening, and he is still dealing with the effects of the attack to this day.

"Treasure and Sykes were tracked as they made their way through Sheffield. At one point, they were seen laughing between themselves. That laughter soon stopped as they were greeted by our officers at Pound's Park.

"Thanks to the mountain of CCTV evidence we had attained, both men had no choice but to plead guilty to attempted murder. I am pleased with the sentence handed down today, and would like to thank the victim for his bravery throughout proceedings.

"I hope today's sentence provides some sort of closure, and that he can now begin to move on from his horrific ordeal."