A man who committed a violent assault in a petrol station on an innocent customer leaving the victim badly hurt has been Jailed for five years. 

Ian Askley, aged 48, of upper Greenhill gardens, Matlock, assaulted another man at JET petrol station on Northfield Road Crookes at around 6:20pm on 8 December 2021.

Askley walked up to the victim who was standing behind the counter with 2 bottles of wine and stood close behind him.

The victim put his hand up asking for Askley to step back and put some distance between them. 

After being asked to move back Askley complied before stepping forward again and punching the man in the face.

He then repeatedly assaulted the victim for several minutes even after causing the man to fall to the ground. 

The victim suffered multiple wounds and cuts to the face but more seriously fracturing two ribs and puncturing a lung.

 The perpetrator then left in his vehicle but was stopped only a short distance down the road where he was arrested. 

Askley was due to stand trial last month over the incident but admitted to section 18 wounding with his trial nearing.

A/DS Lee Freeman of the South Yorkshire police’s Sheffield CID team, who led the investigation said: “This was a violent and completely unwarranted assault that left the victim badly hurt just for asking for his personal space to be respected, particularly in the midst of a global pandemic.

“This type of incident will not be tolerated, and we are glad this sentence has been handed to Askey for what he did.

“By admitting guilt close to the trial, we are also pleased that the victim has been spared re-living this nasty incident in a courtroom.

“We hope it brings some sort of closure for him so that he may now continue with his life.”