Hit-and-run accused 'likely' to deny murder charge

Two men accused of murdering a 16-year-old pedestrian in a hit-and-run are "highly likely" to deny the charge, a judge has said.

Abdullah Yaser Abdullah Al Yazidi was hit by an Audi on Staniforth Road, in Darnall, Sheffield, on 4 June and later died in hospital.

Zulkernain Ahmed, 20, and Armaan Ahmed, 26, both of Locke Drive in Sheffield, are each charged with one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder.

At Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said he had been told they were "highly likely to plead not guilty" to murder, and set a potential trial date for 13 January 2026.

No application for bail was made, with both men remanded into custody ahead of a further hearing on 3 October.

South Yorkshire Police previously said it believed the Audi had driven towards three electric bikes and hit one rider - an 18-year-old man - who suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Abdullah's relatives said he had arrived in the UK from Yemen "for a better future" two or three months ago.

The family said he was enjoying learning English ahead of starting at college in September.

One relative, Saleh Alsirkal, said: "His dad brought him over to change his life, to get a better future for his son, but this has happened and destroyed everything."

He said the teenager was a "kind boy" who just wanted to look after his family, including his three sisters.

A 46-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and have both been bailed pending further inquiries, police said.

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