Father died after 'brick attack'

A father-of-four died after he was hit with a brick as he tried to act as a "peacemaker" during an argument near his Sheffield home, a court has heard.

A jury was told Craig Wass, 39, suffered a fractured skull when he was struck by Ryan Ward in the incident in May.

Mr Wass suffered a second fracture when he hit the ground, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

Mr Ward, 19, of Phillips Road, Sheffield, denies murder.

He also denies charges of affray and causing actual bodily harm to a woman on the same night.

Two other defendants, Daniel Brammah, 20, of Alders Green, Sheffield, and Matthew Hague, 21, Scraith Wood Drive, Sheffield, each deny affray.

The court heard Mr Wass was attacked when violence broke out between members of his family and a group of young men.

Previous incident

Nicholas Campbell QC, prosecuting, said Mr Ward was among a group of young men who had been involved in a violent argument with Mr Wass's sister Tracy and a number of other residents in Phillips Road in the Loxley area of the city on the night of 9 May.

Mr Campbell said Mr Ward was later caught on CCTV outside a city centre club apparently re-enacting the incident with friends.

The court heard there had already been tension between the Wass family and Mr Ward following an incident in the street two months before which had led to Mr Ward being charged with public order offences.

Mr Campbell said on the night of 9 May, Mr Ward was heard to say: "Anybody messing with Ryan Ward tonight are going to get coshed".

Golf club

The prosecutor said at some point during the ensuing trouble, Mr Brammah was seen brandishing a large piece of wood and Tracy Wass went into her home to get a golf club.

Mr Campbell said: "During this, Mr Wass again left his home in order to act as peacemaker just as he'd done two months ago.

"He walked along to where the trouble was."

He added that Mr Ward had struck Mr Campbell's left temple with a brick before leaving the scene with some of his friends.

Mr Ward later told police he had thrown the brick at Mr Wass because he wanted to scare him.

The trial was adjourned until Thursday.