Two brothers have been sentenced to prison for killing a father and seriously injuring his young son while racing their cars at speeds up to 100 mph. Abubakr Ben Yusaf received a 14-year sentence for causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and causing death while uninsured. His brother, Umar Ben Yusaf, was sentenced to two years and nine months for causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving.
The collision occurred in November 2024 on the A483 in Powys when Abubakr Ben Yusaf, driving a BMW X3, crashed head-on into a Toyota Yaris driven by Rhys Jenkins, 41. Mr. Jenkins died at the scene. His nine-year-old son, Ioan, suffered multiple injuries including two broken arms, a fractured rib, and a perforated bowel. He was airlifted to Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool.
Witnesses described the brothers driving aggressively in the moments before the crash, tailgating, flashing lights, and recklessly overtaking. The court heard that Abubakr's car lost control, making a collision with Mr. Jenkins unavoidable. Prosecutors stated the brothers drove with "no consideration for other road users."
Mr. Jenkins, a rugby referee and coach, was traveling with his son from their home in Meifod to Cardiff to attend a Wales rugby match. It would have been the first game father and son attended together.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges but were found guilty by a jury at Mold crown court. They fled the scene after the crash, but Umar Ben Yusaf returned within 40 minutes and admitted responsibility to a police officer. The brothers, who worked as locum optometrists, were driving from Aberystwyth to their shared home in Manchester and often worked in Wales.
In a statement read to the court, Mr. Jenkins's wife, Carrie, described the profound impact of his death, leaving a "massive hole in our lives." She noted that her son Ioan is both emotionally and physically scarred by the event and misses his father's presence as he grows up. Ioan expressed a wish for his father to be alive to "watch me grow up and be my dad."
Judge Timothy Petts told the defendants that they were "constantly riding your luck at high speed, completely unnecessarily, and eventually it ran out with appalling consequences." He acknowledged the "horrendous time" for the victim's family. Sergeant Sara John of Dyfed-Powys police stated that the sentences cannot undo the loss but expressed hope for closure for the family, emphasizing the catastrophic impact of the brothers' actions and their "utter disregard towards other road users."