Mrs Justice Tipples says the brothers drove with £2,090 in cash from Sheffield to Dover, where they were arrested before they departed for Calais.

On the journey down, Zulkernain Ahmed had googled countries where criminal suspects could not be extradited back to the UK, with evidence the pair were planning to flee to Turkey.

The judge says Abdullah was in a "safe space for any pedestrian" when he was hit and killed.

"Abdullah Taleb did not stand any chance of surviving that collision and died very shortly afterwards from catastrophic head injuries," she says.

Moments earlier La'Rome Divers had been "catapulted" into the air after being struck by the Audi, suffering "very serious injuries".

The court hears the brothers fled the scene after killing Abdullah, with Zulkernain Ahmed later phoning police to report his car stolen in an attempt to cover his tracks.

Mrs Justice Tipples says the brothers took part in a premeditated plan to knock La'Rome Divers off his bike because of their dispute.

She says Zulkernain Ahmed drove a "powerful sports car" at three riders head-on at "at least 30mph".

His brother, Armaan Ahmed, had been in the back seat of the car looking for their targets, she says.

Mrs Justice Tipples starts her sentencing remarks by acknowledging the 16-year-old victim.

"Abdullah Yaser Abdullah Taleb was an optimistic person who loved life and loved people," she says.

"He was always smiling, adored by his family and loved by everyone.

"He was eager to learn and to integrate into the community. He was excited to join college in September and he had his whole life ahead of him."

She says his death was "senseless and shocking".

Image source, PA Media

We are back under way here in Court 7, with members of Abdullah's family watching proceedings from a first-floor public gallery.

Mrs Justice Amanda Tipples has begun her sentencing remarks.

Al Yazidi said Abdullah was both his son and a friend.

He said: "His death was a devastating blow to all of the family members.

"This criminal incident has destroyed the entire family."

He added that Abdullah’s mother “is in a state of complete collapse” and now rarely leaves the house.

Al Yazidi said Abdullah’s sisters “have lost trust in the community and are wondering all the time why this has happened”.

And he ended his statement asking what would have happened if the incident had taken place at school leaving time, stressing that many more children could have lost their lives.

Image source, Other

Yaser Abdullah Taleb Al Yazidi told the court his son Abdullah had only come to Sheffield from Yemen two months before he died.

He said: "Life in Yemen was almost impossible - war, gangs and individuals carrying weapons.

"I travelled to England in search of safety and for a better life for me and my family."

Al Yazidi said Abdullah "was an optimistic person who loved life and loved people".

"He was eager to learn and integrate into the community.

"He was happy to arrive in a safe country.

"He was very intelligent, always smiling, quick to learn and loved by everyone.

"He was a pillar of the family."

Brothers Zulkernain Ahmed, 21, and Armaan Ahmed, 27, will be sentenced this afternoon for killing 16-year-old Abdullah Yaser Abdullah Taleb in a botched revenge attack.

Abdullah was killed by a car being driven by Zulkernain in the Darnall area of Sheffield on 4 June 2025.

Zulkernain was found guilty of murder in February following a trial, while Armaan, who was a passenger in the car, was found guilty of manslaughter.

As the sentencing hearing got under way this morning at Sheffield Crown Court, prosecutor Alistair MacDonald KC read out a victim impact statement from Abdullah's father.

Proceedings are adjourned until this afternoon's sentencing.

Mrs Justice Tipples is expected to sentence Zulkernain and Armaan Ahmed separately from 15:00 BST, a process she says will take "quite some time".

"There's going to be a lot I will need to say."

McKone says Armaan Ahmed was in work at the time of the offence, has no previous convictions, and is married with a child.

A "carefully and sensitively worded" letter "demonstrates remorse on his part", McKone adds, while his character references reveal a "different side" to the father-of-one.

He describes the brothers confronting La'Rome Divers as a "spur-of-the-moment" decision.

Earlier, the hearing was told Armaan Ahmed is his younger brother's sole source of support in prison.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Armaan Ahmed, 27, the brother of Zulkernain Ahmed, is being sentenced today for manslaughter.

Representing Armaan, Mark McKone KC says his client's role in the premeditated offending was "limited to the stick which he put in the car".

"They had no control over the vehicle at that point" when it hit Abdullah, he adds.

The stick was never used and Armaan Ahmed did not use any violence, says McKone.

"There's a real uncertainty here as to what was planned by Armaan Ahmed, making it difficult to conclude that he had an intention to cause harm, or something short of serious harm."

According to a psychologist's report being read to the court, Zulkernain Ahmed's mental health conditions were "likely to have had a meaningful, but not sole, influence on the commission of the offence".

The report says the defendant is currently experiencing depression and anxiety and is expressing "daily thoughts of ending his life".

In his letter, which Webster says indicates a "lack of literacy", Zulkernain Ahmed says: "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 for things to get better for them. I cry every night knowing it was me. I wish I could make things better."

Ahmed goes on to say that he has learnt CPR and chest compressions since being in prison in the hope he can "make a difference" in future.

Image source, South Yorkshire Police

Webster says the brains of males do not mature until their mid-20s, and highlights that his client was 20 when he committed the offence.

Zulkernain Ahmed's "underlying mental conditions will affect his ability to make decisions at the time of this offending", he adds.

Webster says his client is "remorseful about the result of his actions" and has written a letter to the court to express his apologies.

In mitigation for Zulkernain Ahmed, Webster tells the court: "Nobody who witnessed the death of Abdullah Taleb, whether at the scene or as we all did in court via CCTV, could fail to be deeply affected at the core by the sheer senselessness of that death.

"A young boy, walking along the pavement carefree, dead within seconds through no fault of his own."

He goes on to say that nothing he can say in defence of his client can atone for the loss suffered by Abdullah's family.

The judge has retaken her seat with Zulkernain Ahmed's barrister Alistair Webster continuing his address to the court.

The judge Mrs Justice Amanda Tipples rises to read over a psychiatrist's report relating to Zulkernain Ahmed.

The hearing will resume at 11:30 BST.

Zulkernain Ahmed's barrister Alistair Webster KC is now addressing Sheffield Crown Court.

He says his client's mental state "had an effect on his offending".

"It doesn't wholly explain, but it is a significant contributing factor."

The court was previously told Ahmed, now 21, had learning difficulties, autism spectrum disorder and ADHD.