On a November evening in 2024, a quiet stretch of the A483 south of Welshpool became the site of an unimaginable tragedy. Rhys Jenkins, a 41-year-old rugby referee and father from Powys, was driving home with his nine-year-old son, Ioan. Their ordinary journey was shattered when an oncoming BMW, violently out of control, veered into their lane. The collision was catastrophic. Mr. Jenkins died at the scene, while his young son was left with serious, life-changing injuries, airlifted to a specialist children’s hospital. This heartbreaking loss forms the core of a harrowing trial at Mold Crown Court, where two brothers, Abubakr and Umar Yusaf, stand accused of causing the fatal crash through what the prosecution describes as reckless and competitive driving.
The prosecution’s case paints a picture of a deliberate and dangerous contest. The brothers, aged 31 and 35 from Manchester, were allegedly driving an Audi and a BMW respectively. It is claimed that in the crucial minutes before the crash, between 6pm and 6:30pm, they were not merely traveling but racing each other along the rural road. Witnesses described seeing lights rapidly approaching from behind before one car executed a reckless overtake on a bend. For van driver Ryan Jones, the events unfolded with a dreadful inevitability. He testified that the BMW swept past him on a blind corner in a maneuver he called “unbelievably reckless and dangerous,” stating there was a long, clear straight ahead where it could have waited safely. Moments later, he heard a sickening “deep thud.”
The prosecution alleges that Abubakr Yusaf, driving the BMW, was “egged on” by his brother in the Audi. This alleged race, described as a “car crash waiting to happen,” culminated in Abubakr losing control of his vehicle. Data from the car’s airbag system indicated it was travelling in excess of 63 mph at the moment of impact. The court heard how the BMW’s rear began to “fishtail” on a straight section before careering completely into the oncoming lane, where Rhys Jenkins had “no opportunity” to avoid it. The BMW then “ploughed” into the Jenkins’ Toyota Yaris, shunting it backwards into a ditch. The prosecution asserts that “both were responsible for the fatal collision,” arguing their joint actions created the deadly situation.
In the immediate, chaotic aftermath, the court heard that the Audi pulled up in front of the wrecked BMW. Rather than rendering aid, the prosecution claims the brothers fled the scene after one urged, “Come on let’s go, let’s go.” Later, when arrested, both men declined to answer police questions. Abubakr Yusaf faces the additional charge of causing death while uninsured. The human cost of the incident was laid bare in court: a family torn apart, a young boy fighting serious injuries, and a community mourning a respected father and sports official. The technical evidence of speed and loss of control is framed by this profound personal loss.
Abubakr and Umar Yusaf have pleaded not guilty to all charges. They deny causing the death of Rhys Jenkins and the serious injury to Ioan Jenkins by dangerous driving. Their defence will challenge the prosecution’s narrative in the ongoing trial. However, the testimony of eyewitnesses like Mr. Jones, who felt the crash was “inevitable” given the driving he witnessed, presents a powerful account of the events leading up to the collision. The jury must now weigh this evidence to determine whether the brothers’ driving fell far below the standard of a careful and competent driver, and whether their alleged actions constitute the grave offences with which they are charged.
As the trial continues, it serves as a stark and sorrowful reminder of the devastating consequences that can flow from a single decision made behind the wheel. A family has been irrevocably changed, a young boy’s life altered, and a community left to grapple with the loss of Rhys Jenkins. The proceedings seek not only legal accountability but also to piece together the final, fatal moments of a journey that should have ended safely at home. The outcome now rests with the jury, who must deliberate on the complex interplay of speed, judgment, responsibility, and the irreversible price paid on that dark November night.
