Two brothers have been sentenced to prison for the death of a 16-year-old boy who was struck by a car while walking on the pavement in Sheffield. The victim, Abdullah Yaser Abdullah Taleb, was described as being "in the wrong place at the wrong time" when the vehicle, driven intentionally at a group of cyclists, hit him.
Abdullah, who had come to the United Kingdom "in search of safety and a better life," was fatally injured by the Audi S3 driven by 21-year-old Zulkernain Ahmed in June 2025. The incident occurred as Abdullah was walking to buy lunch, and video footage captured him throwing and catching a water bottle moments before the collision.
At Sheffield Crown Court, Zulkernain Ahmed was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 30 years for murder. His brother, Armaan Ahmed, 27, who was a passenger in the car, received a 17-year sentence for manslaughter. Both were convicted by a jury in February following a trial.
Mrs Justice Amanda Tipples, the presiding judge, described the killing as "senseless and shocking." During the trial, the court learned that the brothers had been deliberately targeting three riders—two on e-bikes and one on a moped—when the car struck Abdullah. The incident reportedly stemmed from the theft of e-bikes and threats allegedly made to Zulkernain by La’Rome Divers, a man who refused to cooperate with the police investigation.
Zulkernain claimed Divers had threatened to kill him and his family after a dispute over an e-bike stolen from Zulkernain at knifepoint. At the sentencing hearing on Thursday, prosecutor Alistair MacDonald KC read a statement from Abdullah's father, Yaser Abdullah Taleb Al Yazidi. He explained that his son had lived in Sheffield for only two months before his death and had planned to start college later that year.
"Life in Yemen was almost impossible – war, gangs, and individuals carrying weapons," Al Yazidi said. "I travelled to England in search of safety and for a better life for me and my family." He described his son as "an optimistic person who loved life and loved people" and added, "He was happy to arrive in a safe country."
The case has highlighted the tragic consequences of reckless driving and targeted violence, leaving a family devastated and a community in mourning.
