Two men have been sentenced to prison for causing the death of a man in what police described as one of the most extreme cases of dangerous driving they have ever encountered. Uways Hussain, 20, and Usmon Mahmood, 23, were responsible for the death of Sylvester Abayomi, 50, after a collision on Kingsway in Manchester in March this year.
The pair were sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on Friday. The court heard that Hussain and Mahmood filmed themselves speeding at up to 139mph in a 30mph zone. Hussain was driving a Volkswagen Golf GTi with Mahmood as a passenger, and the footage showed them consistently travelling at speeds well over 100mph.
The court was told that the pair reached speeds exceeding 130mph on multiple occasions before jumping a red light and colliding with a car driven by Mr Abayomi. He suffered serious injuries and died shortly after the crash, which occurred at around 4:30am on March 9 on Kingsway in Burnage, Manchester.
Shocking Footage and Reckless Behaviour
Rachel Shenton, prosecuting, informed the court that in the five seconds before the crash, the Golf’s speed was recorded at 139mph, with the impact speed at 99mph. In the hours leading up to the collision, Hussain was filmed driving one-handed at high speed, running red lights, weaving through traffic, and inhaling from nitrous oxide canisters while steering.
Police stated that this case demonstrated one of the worst disregards for speeding they had ever witnessed. Mr Abayomi was on his way to work when he pulled onto Kingsway in his Volvo S40 on a green light, only to be fatally struck by the offenders who ran a red light.
Attempts to Flee and Destroy Evidence
After the crash, the two men discussed fleeing the scene and removing evidence. They considered reporting the car as stolen and booking an Uber to escape. The conversation was recorded after Hussain’s Apple Watch detected the high-speed crash and automatically made an emergency call.
Mahmood, the owner of the Golf, was heard saying, “You just wrapped my whip bro.” They then said, “Book an Uber quick,” and discussed their DNA being on the airbags. Neither man approached Mr Abayomi’s car to check on his condition.
When police arrived, they traced Hussain through his watch and found him hiding in a garden. He was tasered and initially denied being the driver, claiming, “None of us were even there, what’s happened? Did someone pass away?” Mahmood was also found in a nearby garden. Several nitrous oxide canisters were discovered in the area where the men were arrested.
Sentencing and Victim Impact
Judge Nicholas Dean KC told the defendants they had shown a “flagrant disregard for the safety of other road users” and had been risk-taking “seemingly for the thrill of it.” He described the CCTV and mobile footage of the driving as “terrifying” and far beyond any safe or lawful limit.
Regarding their actions after the crash, the judge said, “Rather than assist or attempt to assist, both of you fled. Not in panic as such, but discussing how in effect, how to get away with it.” He called the Apple Watch recording “chilling” as they placed their own interests above the life that had just been lost.
Hussain, from Burnage, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in prison, with credit for his guilty plea. He had previously received a 12-month driving ban in October 2024 for drug driving. Mahmood, from Levenshulme, admitted aiding and abetting causing death by dangerous driving, a rare conviction for a passenger. He was jailed for 12 years and 9 months.
Both men must serve at least two-thirds of their sentences and are subject to an eight-year driving ban. They will also have to pass extended driving tests before being allowed to drive again.
In an emotional victim impact statement, Mr Abayomi’s partner, Denise Doyle, described the day of his death. She said, “I never knew this would be the last time.” After seeing his body in hospital, she said, “It was a nightmare, like I was in a box and couldn’t get out. He was my partner, my friend, my future.” She added, “Nothing this court does can bring Syl back to me… I hope you can both reflect and think about the consequences of your actions. I wish you would have helped Sylvester, how could you just leave him there?”
The judge praised Ms Doyle and Mr Abayomi’s brother, Andrew Turner, for their dignity in court, contrasting it with the defendants’ behaviour.
