The lives of everyone touched by these fatal crashes have been forever - and in most cases, irrevocably changed by the heinous actions of these dangerous drivers.
In the first four months of 2025 alone, crashes on South Yorkshire’s roads have resulted in 14 deaths, prompting police to warn that “extra vigilance can be the difference between life and death.”
Roads Policing Inspector Matt Collings says South Yorkshire Police is “working hard to create safer roads and put those who risk innocent people’s lives before the courts but need everyone’s help.”
All of the killer drivers pictured here showed a flagrant disregard for the rules of the road, and crucially, the safety of others; and have been convicted of the serious offence of causing death by dangerous driving.
The maximum sentence for the offence now carries a life sentence, following a change in the law in 2023. Prior to the change, the maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving was one of 14 years.
The longest sentence handed down to the killer drivers pictured here was given to Paul Yates, who, in 2024, was jailed for 12 years for causing the deaths of father and son Dean Jones, 44, and Lewis Daines, 16, who were out cycling together, before continuing to drive and injuring a woman and her children.
Each of these criminals received a prison sentence of more than four years, meaning their convictions will never be spent - or expunged - from their criminal records.
They also received lengthy driving bans, and will be required to take an extended driving test should they ever wish to legally drive after the ban has expired.
1. 11 killer drivers
The 11 kilker drivers responsible for some of South Yorkshire's most dangerous crashes Top row, left to right: Elliott Bower; Declan Bower; Mohammed Abullah and Leon Roberts. Middle row, left to right: Scott Cooney; Paul Yates; Molly Mycroft and Joshua Rafferty. Bottom row, left to right: Brandon South; Matthew Harris and Brandon Varley | Adobe/SYP
2. Elliott and Declan Bower: Jailed for combined total of 19 years, four months
Elliott and Declan Bower, from Harborough Avenue, Manor, were jailed for a total of 19 years and four months between them after a crash in a stolen car which killed two men, a woman and a toddler in November 2018. Elliott, aged 18 at the time of his sentencing in January 2019, was behind the wheel of a stolen Volkswagen Golf car when it crashed on Main Road, Darnall, during a police chase in which the car reached speeds of 100mph. He was wanted by South Yorkshire Police at the time for breaching a suspended prison sentence imposed for a house burglary. Declan, aged 23 at the time he was jailed, was described in court as having an ‘extensive criminal history’ for which he had served previous prison sentences. He already had convictions for aggravated vehicle taking, attempted burglary, dangerous driving, driving without insurance, taking motor vehicles without consent, burglary and handling stolen goods. They were both wanted by South Yorkshire Police over a number of offences, with Elliott wanted for questioning over a serious assault, failing to attend court and failing to have a drug assessment. Declan was wanted over an attempted murder, serious assault and driving while disqualified. The crash claimed the lives of Touran driver Adnan Ashraf, 35 and his 16-month old son Mohammed Osman Mustafa Bin Adnan. Family friends Vlasta Dunova, 41, and Miroslav Duna, 50, also died. Their three-year-old granddaughter, Livia Matova, was left fighting for life and her mum Nikola Dunova, then aged 22, was also seriously injured. Adnan’s wife and Mohamed’s mum, Erika Kroscenova was also hurt. Elliott (pictured left) was sentenced to 11 and half years in a young offenders institution. Declan (pictured right) received a prison sentence of seven years and 10 months. | SYP
3. Mohammed Abullah: Jailed for 75 months
Sean Crowley, aged 58, was walking down Regent Street in Sheffield city centre at around 1.30am on August 22, 2021, when Mohammed Abullah (pictured) mounted the pavement with his black Vauxhall Insignia vehicle, hitting Mr Crowley from behind and inflicting fatal injuries upon him. The killer driver did not stop at the scene. Sentencing Abdullah during a July 12, 2023 hearing at Sheffield Crown Court, Judge David Dixon told him: "Mr Crowley was simply walking down the pavement on Regent Street, as he was fully entitled to do...you came round the bend of that corner, mounted the pavement, and as far as I could tell from the footage, made no attempt to brake at all. You went straight into Mr Crowley, as he was walking down the pavement. He stays on the car for a few moments before he then falls off, and on to the pavement. "You made no effort to stop all you, you continue on, you continue on for some distance." Cowardly Abdullah subsequently abandoned his car on Bolsover Road, Page Hall, and did not hand himself in for days following the crash, meaning it was not possible for him to tested to see whether he had alcohol or drugs in his system at the time of the fatal inicident. Abdullah, of the Wincobank area, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing. Judge Dixon said there is 'nothing the court can do to diminsh what happened' to Mr Crowley or to 'bring him back' and sentenced Abdullah to 75 months in prison. Abdullah was banned from driving for six years and six weeks. | SYP
4. Leon Roberts: Jailed for nine years, and six months
Leon Roberts, aged 25 at the time he was sentenced, was jailed for nine years and six months in July 2024 after admitting causing the death of 23-year-old Sharna Burgin in the horror crash on Sheffield Parkway. She was a mum, whose five year old daughter will now have to grow up without her. Roberts pleaded guilty to charges of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, said at Sheffield Crown Court: “Arrogance, alcohol and cowardice. What a terrible combination. “You have brought devastation on a family and a little girl in particular. Your conduct was despicable. “You are also a coward. You ran off from the scene leaving your friends to their fate. One seriously injured. The other on the way to death.” Roberts had driven at speeds of around 100mph at around 1.40am on the morning of the incident. Ashleigh Turner, one of four passengers in the car, said she and Ms Burgin, her best friend, had shouted at Roberts - who was driving with only one hand on the wheel - to slow down. But heading towards Sheffield city centre from his home on Ballifield Close after spending time at the Old Crown Inn on Handsworth Road, he lost control of the car and collided with a parked taxi. Results of a urine sample were consistent with prior use of cocaine, cannabis and alcohol. Callum Harry Garner, anotherof his passengers, was seriously injured in the crash. Roberts was sentenced to nine years and six months imprisonment for causing death by dangerous driving, to run concurrently with a two year and six month sentence for causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He has been disqualified from driving for eight years. Judge Richardson commended the family for choosing organ donation after Ms Burgin’s death. | SYP