Man attacked with axe and knife as violence flares in Barnsley street
A man sustained severe injuries following a two-assailant street attack in Barnsley in March 2025, during which he was struck repeatedly with an axe and stabbed multiple times with a knife. He suffered a broken and deformed arm alongside stab wounds to his chest, abdomen and buttock, necessitating surgery. The attack occurred in a residential area with no stated reason for the violence.
Aaron Leeson, aged 37, received a sentence of four years and four months at Sheffield Crown Court after pleading guilty to wounding with intent and possessing a blade in public. The victim, identified as a former serviceman, reported the assault had profoundly affected him and reactivated his post-traumatic stress disorder. The defence presented evidence that Leeson had been diagnosed with dissocial personality disorder whilst in psychiatric detention and had witnessed significant violence during childhood, whilst his co-accused received a comparable jail term.
- Man attacked with axe and knife on a Barnsley street in March 2025, suffering a broken arm and multiple stab wounds to the torso and required surgical treatment
- Aaron Leeson, 37, sentenced to four years and four months after pleading guilty to wounding with intent and blade possession
- Victim is a former serviceman whose post-traumatic stress disorder was triggered; defendant has dissocial personality disorder diagnosis and childhood exposure to violence