Two brothers have been jailed after a crash in November 2024 killed a father-of-two and seriously injured his nine-year-old son. Rhys Jenkins died at the scene near Welshpool, Powys, while his son Ioan was airlifted to hospital.
Abubakr Ben Yusaf, who was driving the BMW X3 that hit their Toyota Yaris head-on, was sentenced to 14 years. This was for causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and causing death while uninsured.
His brother, Umar Ben Yusaf, was sentenced to two years and nine months for causing death and serious injury by careless driving. Mold Crown Court heard that the brothers were racing each other from Aberystwyth to Manchester at the time of the incident on the A483.
Witnesses described the brothers "aggressively" tailgating cars, flashing headlights, and overtaking recklessly before the crash. The court heard that while Umar Ben Yusaf's car was not directly involved, the "competitive" nature of his driving significantly contributed.
Rhys' wife, Caroline Jenkins, stated that Ioan still carries emotional and physical scars, and that the family has a "massive hole left in our lives by his unnecessary death." Ioan, who broke both arms, suffered a fractured rib and a perforated bowel, expressed wishing his dad was still there to "watch me grow up and be my dad."