Killer teen who stabbed dad in Sheffield will be same age as victim when he is freed from prison

Yaqeen Arshad was 16 years old when he killed 31-year-old Richard Dentith in an attack on Grimesthorpe Road, Burngreave, in the early hours of April 7, 2022.

Arshad, of De La Salle Drive, Pitsmoor, was unable to be identified until the end of his trial. The Star challenged reporting restrictions which would have granted him anonymity until his 18th birthday, and the judge in the case agreed to lift them.

Judge Sarah Wright jailed the killer for a minimum of 14 years after jurors found him guilty of murder.

If he is released after 14 years, he will be the same age as the man whose life he claimed.

Arshad was 16 when he stabbed Mr Dentith to death. He was out with ‘an older friend apparently intending to smoke cannabis,’ at the time, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

In the moments leading up to the fatal confrontation, Mr Dentith had walked past Arshad and his older friend as they were stood in a bus shelter on. Arshad began pursuing Mr Dentith, but the reason for that is not known.

Mr Dentith suffered a stab wound to his arm, which severed an artery, causing him to bleed to death.

Detective Inspector John Fitzgibbons, who led the investigation, said Arshad had refused to take ‘any responsibility for his actions’.

He added: “This was an awful attack and is a stark reminder of the reality of knife crime and how one man’s life can be lost and a family’s hearts broken just from one stab wound. Knife crime remains one of our biggest priorities.”

Mr Dentith was described by his father as a ‘much-loved son, father, brother, uncle and friend’ who was a ‘hard working, caring father, skilled sportsman and a talented chef who had many obstacles in his life to overcome and who, at times, struggled’.

He added: “Ricky died far too young in a senseless attack and will be sorely missed by his family and many friends. “His young son will now grow up without the support of the father he loved very much.”