A former soldier has been jailed for five years for battering a Good Samaritan who was trying to stop him attacking his wife.

David Creswick was throttling his wife after a row in Sheffield city centre last Christmas, then knocked a passer-by unconscious after he tried to prevent the attack.

Father-of-four Creswick ran and hid behind a car from passing armed police officers – but returned to hit his victim in the face as the man lay motionless on the floor.

The victim suffered bleeding on the brain, a fractured skull and had to spend two weeks in hospital over Christmas last year due to the surgery he needed.

Sheffield Crown Court heard the victim lost his sense of smell because of his injuries and has been unable to work for a year, leaving him struggling to pay his bills.

In a statement read out to court, the man said: “I have no memory of the attack but was sickened to learn the attacker continued to hit me as I lay on the ground. Knowing I may never be able to smell again is depressing and has affected my quality of life.”

Creswick, aged 30, of Mason Lathe Road, Shiregreen, had been on a Christmas night out with family and friends.

He had already been involved in two altercations before the incident.

David Wain, prosecuting, said the victim and his partner had driven past Creswick and his wife on Broad Lane in Sheffield just before midnight on December 19 last year.

After seeing Creswick with his hands around the throat of his wife, they stopped in an attempt to intervene.

Mr Wain said: “The victim’s recollection is the defendant coming towards him and then waking up in an ambulance.”

After being arrested, Creswick demanded to know why his victim had not been arrested as well and when told the man was on the way to hospital said: “Good, I’m glad he is unconscious.”

Creswick initially claimed he had been attacked from behind and was acting in self-defence but CCTV showed he was the aggressor.

The court heard Creswick had a previous conviction from September 2015 for spitting at a police officer.

Francis Edusei, defending, said his client has written a letter of apology which ‘expresses his disgust at himself and his remorse at his behaviour’.

Mr Edusei said earlier in the evening Creswick had been in the Players Bar on West Street when somebody had pushed him, causing a drink to spill on him.

“There was a remonstration with this person who proceeded to hit the defendant,” he said.

Mr Edusei said Creswick was hit again by somebody else outside the club.

He said his client wanted to go home but his wife wanted to stay out, leading to the argument.

Mr Edusei said Creswick wrongly thought the man he attacked on Broad Lane was one of the two men from the bar.

He said Creswick was ‘a hard-working man’ who had previously been a soldier before being given a medical discharge from the forces.

Judge Michael Slater jailed Creswick for five years for the Section 18 assault.

He told him: “The victim has received life-changing injuries and is understandably depressed and feels vulnerable.

“That is something you and you alone have caused.”

Following the case, investigating officer Detective Constable Newman Holt said: “This was an unprovoked attack on a member of the public, who stepped in to help a woman who appeared to be in distress.

“As a result of Creswick’s angry and sustained assault, the victim suffered significant injuries that have had long-lasting effects.

“His senseless actions that evening have changed this victim’s life forever and no jail term is going to make up for that.”

Sheffield Star