‘This was deliberate risk taking – seemingly for the thrill of it’, a judge told Uways Hussain and Usmon Mahmood
16:51, 29 May 2026Updated 17:47, 29 May 2026
Sylvester Abayomi (Image: GMP)
A dangerous driver and his passenger who filmed themselves inhaling nitrous oxide from balloons while travelling at speeds reaching 139mph have been jailed following a horror crash that claimed a man’s life.
Uways Hussain, 20, was driving a VW Golf GTI belonging to friend Usmon Mahmood, 23, in the early hours of March 9 this year when they drove through a red light and smashed into Sylvester Abayomi’s Volvo S40.
A court was shown footage of the crash, which happened at the junction of Green End Road and Kingsway in Manchester at 4.30am.
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Mr Abayomi, 50, was on his way to work when he was hit. He suffered catastrophic chest injuries and sadly died later that morning.
Manchester Crown Court was shown video footage taken by both Hussain and Mahmood. They were seen sucking on balloons in the car. They reached speeds of up to 139mph, drove on the wrong side of the road and Hussain filmed himself driving the car with one hand.
Pair jailed after filming themselves travelling at speeds of over 130mph before fatal collision
Following the crash, an Apple watch worn by Hussain called 999 automatically after detecting a collision. Unaware of the call, the pair were recorded talking about reporting the car as stolen, arguing about who was going to say they were the driver; and discussing how to remove DNA and ordering an Uber.
Footage showed them inhaling from balloons(Image: GMP)
At one stage, Hussain could be heard saying his dad was ‘going to kill him’. Sentencing judge, Nicholas Dean KC, described the transcript of the call as ‘chilling’. He said: “It doesn’t reveal shock or concern for the victim.”
Officers tracked the yobs using the watch and found Hussain hiding in a garden on Sunnylea Avenue. As he was arrested he said: “None of us were even there, what’s happened, did somebody pass away?”
Images of the wrecked cars released by GMP(Image: GMP)
Mahmood was caught in a different garden on the same street. Both were surrounded by nitrous oxide cannisters they had taken with them from the car, prosecutor Rachel Shenton said.
In footage shown to the court, Mahmood was in the passenger seat inhaling from a balloon while Hussain was driving at over 100mph, also inhaling from a balloon. Hussain also filmed himself reaching speeds of 119mph while controlling the car with one hand.
Data recovered from the Golf showed that in the seconds leading up to the collision, the car reached a maximum speed of 139mph. At the point of impact, they were travelling at 99mph, the court heard.
Uways Hussain(Image: GMP)
Denise Doyle, partner of Mr Abayomi, read from her statement: “Sylvester was simply on his way to work. He was an ordinary hard working man. He should have returned home to me that day, but because of your actions, he never did.
“Sylvester had kissed me and said goodbye and that he loved me. I never knew this would be the last time. It didn’t feel like it had really happened.
“A nightmare where I was in a box and I couldn’t get out. Sylvester was not just a name. he was my partner, my best friend, my future, he was a deeply loved member of our family and community.”
Statement outside court after men jailed for roles in fatal crash
Addressing the defendants, she added: “You left Sylv to die alone. You did not show him even a shred of compassion or humanity.”
Neil Ronan, said Hussain had a previous conviction for drug driving and was a law student who worked full-time at an airport. He said: “Nothing I say on behalf of Mr Hussain takes away from the severity in relation to the horrible outcome for his criminal behaviour.”
Sylvester Abayomi and partner Denise Doyle(Image: GMP)
The barrister said that in a letter to the judge from Hussain, he described his driving as a ‘single reckless decision’.
Judge Nicholas Dean KC said: “This wasn’t a single reckless decision. He drives under the influence of nitrous oxide in an utterly shocking way and an entirely deliberate way. There was nothing reckless about his behaviour.”
Mr Ronan responded: “This defendant deeply regrets the whole of the driving. He knows and appreciated and understands the effect his behaviour has had. He regrets the fear and panic and shock that led him to leave the scene.”
Judge Dean added: “I don’t accept it was shock that caused him to leave the scene, they were both still likely under the influence of what they had been inhaling. They were panicked, but panicked by their own knowledge for the responsibility of what happened.”
Representing Mahmood, Clare Ashcroft said he was about to start an apprenticeship with Network Rail. “He is beginning to understand the enormity of his actions… he is remorseful,” she added.
Usmon Mahmood(Image: GMP)
Jailing the pair, Judge Dean said: “This case concerns the wholly unnecessary and entirely avoidable death of Sylvester Abayomi. Your driving, Uways Hussain, was not as you suggested, a ‘momentary lapse’. It was a sustained, deliberation and escalating case of highly dangerous conduct over a prolonged period.
“I have seen the CCTV footage and the videos recorded on phones and they are terrifying. You drove at extreme speeds, up to nearly 140mph on roads which were by and large, 30mph.
“This was, in every sense, a flagrant disregard. This was deliberate risk taking – seemingly for the thrill of it.”
Hussain, 20, of Burnage, was jailed for 11 years and eight months for causing death by dangerous driving; causing death by driving a vehicle whilst uninsured; conspiracy to pervert the course of justice; failing to provide a specimen for analysis and driving without insurance.
Mahmood, 23, of Levenshulme, was jailed for 12 years and nine months for aiding and abetting causing death by dangerous driving; aiding and abetting causing death by driving a vehicle whilst uninsured and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
They were both banned from driving for five years with a extension of eight years.
They reached speeds of 135mph(Image: GMP)
Following the hearing, Detective Sergeant Thomas Johnson, from GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This is one of the most extreme cases of dangerous driving we have encountered, and it has tragically resulted in the loss of Sylvester’s life.
“Our thoughts remain with his family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.
“No sentence can ever truly compensate for the loss of a life, but the actions of Hussain and Mahmood show a complete disregard for the safety of others.
“We hope this outcome offers some measure of justice to Sylvester’s loved ones. We urge the public to challenge dangerous driving behaviour and report concerns to police.”