Man 'sorry' for killing boy, 16, in hit and run

A driver accused of murdering a 16-year-old boy when he mounted the pavement and hit him with his car said he felt "deep remorse and regret" for his actions.

Prosecutors allege Zulkernain Ahmed, 21, fatally struck pedestrian Abdullah Yaser Abdullah Taleb when he used his Audi "as a weapon", deliberately driving at a group of three riders - two on e-bikes and one on a moped.

Ahmed said he never intended to plough his car into innocent passer-by Abdullah in Staniforth Road, Darnall, Sheffield, on 4 June.

The defendant, who denies murder but admitted manslaughter, told jurors at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday: "I just misjudged it and it all went wrong."

He explained how that day, he had been out looking for La'rome Divers, who he had been in a dispute with.

The defendant, who admitted taking a baseball bat with him, told the jury he only wanted to talk to Divers, but "at the last second I got scared and panicked".

The court has been shown graphic video footage of the car moving to the wrong side of the road, colliding with e-bike rider Divers, throwing him over a hedge, before hitting Abdullah as he was walking along the pavement.

Divers, who refused to make a statement to police, was seriously injured in the incident, the court has heard.

Ahmed, who also admitted a charge of causing grievous bodily harm, said: "I thought I'd give him (Divers) a nudge. Nothing that would injure or harm him.

"I hit a kerb and I don't know what happened. It happened so fast."

He said he did not remember seeing Abdullah.

The court previously heard Ahmed's 26-year-old brother Armaan Ahmed and Adam Mohammed, 30, were back seat passengers at the time of the collision.

Another Ahmed brother, Zain, was the front seat passenger, but has not been traced by police, the prosecution said.

Zulkernain and Armaan Ahmed, both of Locke Drive, Darnall, and Mohammed, of Acres Hill Road, Darnall, all deny murdering Abdullah and attempting to murder the three riders.

The court heard the other two riders have never been identified by police.

The defendants also deny alternative charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent.

Asked what happened after the collision, Zulkernain Ahmed said he was "panicking" and "scared", adding: "I just wanted to get away."

The defendant said he only found out someone had died when he was heading to Dover in an attempt to flee to Turkey.

Ahmed admitted being responsible for Abdullah's death and confirmed his driving had been "highly dangerous".

He told the jury he stood by the wording of a written statement he gave police, which said: "I feel absolutely terrible about what has happened, I feel devastated for the victim's family, I feel deep remorse and regret about the choices I took."

Ahmed, who the court heard has learning difficulties, autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, told jurors he was "sorry" for what had happened and that he "can't turn the clock back".

The trial continues.

Additional reporting by PA Media.

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