Mohammed Suffi, 23, was captured on CCTV driving his SUV into revellers during the horror hit-and-run outside The Tunnel Club, in Birmingham, leaving a DJ with catastrophic injuries
Harrowing footage showing the moment a car ploughed into a crowd at a club’s Freshers’ Night(Image: Birmz Is Grime / SWNS)
A drink and drug-fuelled driver who ploughed his Mercedes into a crowd outside a nightclub leaving a DJ with catastrophic injuries has been jailed.
On the night of October 3, 2024 Mohammed Suffi, 23, was captured driving his SUV into revellers during the horror hit-and-run outside The Tunnel Club, in Birmingham. He had been “egged on” by a pal when he used his “powerful vehicle as a weapon” following a Freshers Week student event.
Six people were left injured, including popular international DJ Caliston Calistus, who can be seen being dragged under the car as Suffi went on his rampage. He was left with fractured ribs, a fractured pelvis, a broken collar bone, broken shoulder blades, a broken neck and collapsed lungs after being dragged underneath the Mercedes SP69.
Livery Street in Birmingham, West Mids after the horror incident(Image: Joseph Walshe / SWNS)
Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
A court heard the revenge attack, which happened after a fight had earlier broken out, left the victim’s dream job as a globe trotting DJ shattered.
Suffi – who had taken nitrous oxide – then tried to dispose of the vehicle before fleeing the UK to Dubai. He was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent following a trial in December after previously admitting dangerous driving.
On Friday Suffi, of Aston, Birmingham, was jailed for 11 years and six months and banned from driving for 10 years and seven months at Birmingham Crown Court.
Mohammed Suffi(Image: West Midlands Police / SWNS)
Three others, Daanyal Hussain, 21, of Yardley, Birmingham, Mustafa Gohari, 21, of Acocks Green, Birmingham, and Armaan Abid, 23, of Handsworth, Birmingham, had previously admitted affray. They were all sentenced to 11 months in jail, suspended for 18 months and ordered to do 180 hours unpaid work.
Sentencing, Judge Paul Farrer KC said “On the night of October 3, 2024 you all attended an event at the Tunnel Club which is close to the Jewellery Quarter. Inside the club Abid did something to a woman and that lead to a confrontation with that woman’s boyfriend.
“You all became involved in that and that lead to you being ejected at about 2.20am. You became confrontational and aggressive with security staff and sought to get back inside the club. You were all involved in the kicking and punching of the doors of the premises.
Armaan Abid, 23, who plead guilty to being involved in the mass brawl outside the nightclub(Image: West Midlands Police / SWNS)
“You could have chosen to leave but instead you remained outside the club waiting for it to close and for people to leave. I have no doubt you were intent on violence against the unknown man you had a quarrel with inside the club.”
The judge said outside the defendants were outnumbered and retreated back to the Mercedes. He added: “Having lost the fight you felt humiliated and as a consequence Suffi lost his temper and drove his Mercedes at some speed at people who had left the club.
“People leapt out of the way. This was a large SUV type vehicle and was inevitably going to cause serious injury. Had the car passed over someone’s head that person would have almost inevitably been killed. The reality is that having lost your temper you were intent on causing mayhem and injury to those on the road.”
Mustafa Gohari, 21, who plead guilty to being involved in the mass brawl outside the nightclub.(Image: West Midlands Police / SWNS)
Turning to the victim, he said “He spent years building up a successful business as an international DJ. He describes that being his dream, his purpose, his identity. His injuries meant that he was unable to work.”
The court heard before Suffi and the other men had gone into the club, he and Gohari had been captured on security cameras sniffing nitrous oxide from a balloon.
Daniel Oscroft, prosecuting, said initially the atmosphere had been lively and well controlled but tensions started to rise with security intervening in a dispute involving the defendant’s group. He said: “It appears from what took place that these defendants were intent on taking revenge for some perceived slight or grievance.”
After about half an hour they returned and as people were coming out and “instigated a full blown flight” despite being outnumbered.
Daanyal Hussain, 21, who plead guilty to being involved in the mass brawl outside the nightclub(Image: West Midlands Police / SWNS)
The four defendants were the ones who started the violence and were “throwing punches wildly.” Mr Oscroft said “Suffi started to drive aggressively. The vehicle reversed and circled back and round and drove at pedestrians knocking people over.
“You can see both Mr Calistus and the other male disappear under the front bumper. You see the vehicle rise and fall over the two bodies. Their bodies are further down the road.”
Mr Calistus heard the “cracking” of his bones as the Mercedes went over him, needed major surgery and spent three weeks in hospital. Mr Oscroft added: “You will not be surprised to learn that he thought he was going to die.”
In a statement the 28-year-old victim, said: “I was the victim of a serious incident which changed my life. I am still undergoing treatment. I am left in constant pain, I have reduced mobility, have visible scars and psychological trauma.”
He described what he did, which involved travelling around the world, as his passion since he was 16. He added: “It was not just my job it was my dream my purpose.” He said he had previously been an active person who danced and played football but now could do nothing and that he now did a nine to five job in an office.
Harrowing footage showing the moment a car ploughed into a crowd at a club’s Freshers’ Night.(Image: Birmz Is Grime / SWNS)
Abbas Lakha, defending Suffi, said “He accepted full responsibility for the harm he caused. He is utterly and genuinely remorseful. He said what occurred happened in a ‘split second’ in a moment of panic and confusion.”
Gulam Ahmed, defending Gohari, who had been a first year student studying civil engineering, said “He was also run over by the Mercedes. He was drinking that night and had also taken nitrous oxide. That clearly affected his judgement. He is ashamed of his behaviour.”
Representing Abid, Ben Hargreaves said “This was childish, immature and aggressive behaviour by a group of young men. He should have left.”
While Jim Tilbury, for Hussain, said: “This was an unedifying and ugly episode.”