Man charged with murder of father-of-two who was killed while helping unconscious woman

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A man has been charged with the murder of “good Samaritan” Chris Marriott, 46, who died after being hit by a car while trying to help a stranger in Sheffield.

The father-of-two had gone to the aid of a woman he spotted lying unconscious in the street on Wednesday but was hit by a vehicle which ploughed into a crowd during a disturbance.

A 32-year-old woman remains in hospital in a serious condition following the incident, South Yorkshire Police said.

It is believed the injured woman had been involved in an altercation between two families who had been celebrating a wedding, which was taking place at a house in College Court.

Mr Marriott had been out for a post-Christmas walk with his wife and two young sons, aged eight and six, when he went to the aid of the woman shortly after 2pm on College Close, in the Burngreave area.

Several other people suffered injuries during the incident, including an off-duty midwife who had also stopped to help, while at least one man was stabbed.

A police statement said: “Hassan Jhangur, 23, of Whiteways Road, Sheffield was arrested and has since been charged with murder and five counts of attempted murder.

“He remains in police custody and will appear at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (December 30).”

On Friday, his family said in a statement: “Chris was a wonderful husband, dad, brother, uncle – and friend to many.”

They said that Mr Marriott devoted his life to helping others, including at a foodbank in Sheffield and working for a debt advice charity.

The statement added: “The circumstances of his death, although tragic and unfathomable to us, his family, show the sort of man he was – to go to help rather than to turn away.

“Chris was also a man of faith who wanted others to also experience the joy he had found trusting in Jesus.

“We take comfort in these most difficult of times in our belief that he is with his Lord and Saviour, while we mourn his loss.”

Mr Marriott, who was described as a “Good Samaritan” by police, worked as IT manager for the charity Community Money Advice (CMA).

He was also heavily involved with City Church, in Sheffield, as well as the Jubilee Foodbank, Voluntary Action Sheffield, and was a trustee of MASKK (Manor and Castle After School and Kids Klubs), in the city.

Heather Keates, the founder and chief executive of CMA, said: “He wanted to give people hope and, therefore, he was prepared to go the extra mile for people.

“His generosity, his care for people, his compassion for people, this was the root of who he was. He was a caring and compassionate man.”

Ms Keates said: “He wanted to make a difference in his community and he made a big difference.”

Ms Keates said Mr Marriott was “completely irreplaceable” to the charity, which runs 180 face-to-face advice centres.

He had worked as its IT manager since 2021 but had previously run one of the charity’s advice centres in Sheffield.

Ms Keates said: “He understood it from the IT side and he understood it from the clients’ side too.”

Mr Marriott’s brother-in-law Luke Tonge said on Facebook: “Our Chris was a kind man who loved his family and truly lived to help others — and our hearts are broken.

“Please pray for my sister and their boys, and the family & friends who are grieving such an incalculable loss.”

The church group ChristCentral, which includes City Church, said in a statement that everyone was “deeply shocked” by Mr Marriott’s death.

It said: “Chris died doing what so many will remember him for, helping others.”

And it added: “This is an unbelievably awful situation and we are heartbroken for the family.”

A police spokesman said the off-duty midwife suffered minor injuries, another man received serious injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening and four further people, three women and a man, suffered minor injuries.

Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Knowles said: “This is an utterly heartbreaking case in which a Good Samaritan, who had stepped in to help a stranger in their time of need, has lost his life.”