Sheffield: Man jailed for throwing metal objects from crane

Craig Connelly climbed the crane in Sheffield in July

A man who climbed up a crane and threw metal nuts down at police during a 27-hour stand-off has been jailed.

Craig Connelly, 42, climbed 361ft (110m) up to the crane cab at the construction site on Pond Street, Sheffield, on 3 July.

Sheffield Crown Court heard he smashed windows in the cab, causing damage worth an estimated £40,000.

Connelly, 42, of no fixed address, admitted affray and criminal damage and was jailed for 14 months.

He was in a stand-off with police for 27 hours

At a previous court hearing, Connelly said he had climbed over hoardings to access the construction site where student accommodation was being built.

He went up into the cab of the crane and later "started to throw a variety of items down below towards officers".

South Yorkshire Police was forced to close streets surrounding the crane as large steel nuts and other items were thrown by Connelly towards officers.

Police managed to get Connelly out of the cab and down the crane in the early hours of 5 July. No-one was injured during the incident.