A driver who used his Audi as a 'weapon' in a horrific crash that killed a 16-year-old boy has been sentenced to life in prison. Zulkernain Ahmed, 21, deliberately targeted a group of e-bike riders in Sheffield before fatally striking Abdullah Yaser Abdullah Taleb, who had recently arrived in England from war-torn Yemen, prosecutors said. Ahmed must serve a minimum of 30 years behind bars.
The Incident
On June 4 last year, Abdullah was walking along the pavement on Staniforth Road when the Audi mounted the kerb and struck him. The court heard that Zulkernain was targeting three e-bike riders over a dispute related to e-bikes. Prosecutors stated that Abdullah was 'in the wrong place at the wrong time' and became an unintended victim of the attack.
Victim Impact Statement
At Sheffield Crown Court, a victim impact statement from Abdullah's father, Yaser Abdullah Al Yazidi, was read. He said: 'Life in Yemen was almost impossible ... I travelled to England in search of safety and a better life.' He described his son as 'an optimistic person who loved life and loved people,' adding that Abdullah was 'eager to learn and integrated into the community.' The teenager was excited to start college in September 2025 but died shortly after being hit, despite medical efforts.
Abdullah's father said the loss has 'destroyed the entire family,' adding, 'We are unable to return to our normal lives and I don't think we ever will.'
Prosecution Case
Prosecutor Alistair MacDonald KC told the court that one e-bike rider, La'Rome Divers, was the intended target. The Audi was 'driven for a number of miles specifically in order to look for La'Rome Divers with a view to striking him by using the vehicle as a weapon.' He called it a 'revenge attack' based on Divers' attempts to steal an e-bike. Divers was knocked over a hedge but refused to make a statement to police.
Mental Health and Sentencing
A psychologist's report found that Zulkernain's mental health conditions were 'likely to have had a meaningful, but not sole, influence on the commission of the offence.' The defendant currently experiences depression and anxiety and has 'daily thoughts of ending his life.'
Zulkernain's barrister, Alistair Webster, read a letter from his client expressing apologies: 'I am sorry from the bottom of my heart. I regret the actions I took that day, I wish time to turn back. I would change so many things. I am sorry to Abdullah's family, every day I pray for them ... I cry every night knowing it was me.' Ahmed added that he has learned CPR and chest compressions while in prison in the hope of making a difference.
Armaan Ahmed, 27, the defendant's brother and a passenger in the car, is being sentenced for manslaughter. He was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter.
