Horror moment pair kill man in 130mph crash after filming nitrous oxide-fuelled joyride | UK | News
Wreckage of Sylvester Abayomi’s car after fatal accident (Image: GMP/PA Wire)
The driver and passenger of a car who inhaled nitrous oxide while driving at 139 miles per hour before a fatal crash have been fined. Uways Hussain, 20, was driving the VW Golf GTI belonging to his friend Usmon Mahmood, 23, when he ran a red light and crashed into another car, killing 50-year-old Sylvester Abayomi.
The horrific moment of the crash was captured in footage shown at Manchester Crown Court on Friday. The collision happened at 4.30am on March 9 at the junction of Green End Road and Kingsway in Manchester.
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Videos taken by the defendants in the hours before the crash showed Hussain driving at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour with one hand on the steering wheel while inhaling nitrous oxide. Front seat passenger Mahmood’s shouts of encouragement were heard from time to time.
Greater Manchester Police said the sentence was believed to be one of the highest sentences ever imposed for a single fatal offense of dangerous driving.
Mr Abayomi’s partner Denise Doyle told the court: “Sylvester was on his way to work. He is an ordinary, hard-working man. He should have returned home to me safely that day. Because of your actions he never did.”
Addressing the defendants, he added: “You left Sylv to die alone. You did not show her an ounce of compassion or humanity.”
Uways Hussain and Usmon Mahmood (Image: GMP)
Hüseyin, who confessed his crime in the court of peace, was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in prison after confessing that he caused death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving without insurance and not providing a sample.
Mahmood, who initially told police he had tried to warn Hussain about driving, was sentenced to 12 years and nine months in prison after admitting aiding and abetting death by dangerous driving and aiding and abetting death by driving without insurance.
Judge Nicholas Dean KC said: “It was deliberate and increasingly extremely dangerous behavior that continued over a long period of time.
“I have seen CCTV footage and video recordings on phones and they are horrifying.
“You drove at excessive speeds of nearly 140 mph, well above safe or legal limits, on roads that are generally subject to a 30 mph speed limit.”
Sylvester Abayomi with his partner Denise (Image: GMP/PA Wire)
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He said both men were using cell phones, recording videos and inhaling nitrous oxide while driving. The judge described this as deliberate risk-taking, apparently for the thrill of it.
Following the crash, the Apple watch Hussain was wearing automatically called 999 after detecting the collision. It was recorded that the duo, unaware of the call, called Uber and talked about leaving the scene and reporting the car as stolen. Judge Dean described the transcript as “chilling” as it showed no shock or concern for the victim.
Prosecutor Ms. Shenton said that Golf was driven by Hüseyin and Mahmood shouted encouragement. The men left the scene and fled from officers when pursued before being arrested.
Hussain, who had previous convictions for drug use, was a law student working full-time at the airport. Mahmood was about to start an apprenticeship with Network Rail.
Speaking outside court, Detective Sergeant Thomas Johnson said: “His actions that night were reckless, deliberate and ultimately devastating… Sylvester did nothing wrong. He entered the green light hoping to continue his journey safely and instead lost his life.”
