Brwa Abdulla, a 19-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent, was jailed for ten years after deliberately driving his car at a teenage boy, causing him life-changing injuries. Abdulla was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on 5 May 2026 after being convicted of wounding with intent and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Who Is Brwa Abdulla?
Brwa Abdulla was 19 years old at the time of the offence and lived in Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent. He is one of a number of young men in the UK who have been convicted of using a vehicle as a weapon — a form of violence that courts treat with particular seriousness given the devastating and potentially fatal consequences it can have.
Abdulla appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, where he had previously admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was also found guilty of the more serious charge of wounding with intent — a Section 18 offence under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
What Did Brwa Abdulla Do?
On 4 August 2025, Abdulla was sitting in his blue BMW on College Road, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent. When he spotted a teenage boy — a young victim he had previously encountered — he drove his car at speed directly at him. The vehicle collided with the victim at the junction with Beresford Road.
The impact caused the victim serious, life-changing injuries. This was not an accident: the prosecution established that Abdulla deliberately targeted the teenager, driving at him with the intent to cause him serious harm. The use of a vehicle in this way is treated by courts as equivalent in seriousness to a stabbing or other weapons attack.
Charges and Conviction
Abdulla faced two principal charges in connection with the incident. He had already admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving before the Crown Court proceedings concluded. Following the trial, he was also found guilty of Section 18 wounding with intent — the more serious of the two offences, reflecting the court’s finding that he intended to cause grievous bodily harm to his victim.
Section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 covers situations where a person unlawfully and maliciously wounds or causes grievous bodily harm with intent to do so. It is one of the most serious non-homicide offences in English law and typically results in a significant custodial sentence.
The Sentence: Ten Years in Prison
At Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on 5 May 2026, Abdulla was sentenced to ten years in prison. Given that he was 19 at the time of sentencing, this means he will spend a significant portion of his young adult life behind bars. Under standard release provisions in England and Wales, prisoners serving determinate sentences are typically released at the halfway point of their sentence on licence, meaning Abdulla could be considered for release after five years, subject to conditions and good behaviour.
However, if released on licence and found to have breached the conditions of that licence, he could be recalled to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence. For families of those in custody, understanding how to maintain contact — including how to send money to a prisoner or book a prison visit — can be an important part of keeping family ties intact during a long sentence.
The Driving Ban
In addition to the ten-year prison sentence, Abdulla was disqualified from driving for almost 12 years. This extended disqualification reflects the seriousness with which the court viewed his use of a vehicle as a deliberate weapon. Extended driving bans of this kind are common in cases where vehicles are used to cause serious harm, and the ban period runs from the date of sentencing rather than from the date of eventual release from prison.
This means that even after completing his custodial term, Abdulla will face further years during which he cannot legally drive — a significant additional consequence on top of the prison sentence itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Brwa Abdulla in prison?
Brwa Abdulla is in prison because he deliberately drove his BMW at a teenage boy in Stoke-on-Trent on 4 August 2025, causing the victim serious, life-changing injuries. He was convicted of Section 18 wounding with intent and causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and sentenced to ten years in prison at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on 5 May 2026.
How long is Brwa Abdulla’s prison sentence?
Brwa Abdulla was sentenced to ten years in prison. He was 19 at the time of sentencing. Under standard release provisions, he may be eligible for release on licence at the halfway point of his sentence, subject to conditions. He was also banned from driving for almost 12 years.
What did Brwa Abdulla do?
On 4 August 2025, Abdulla sat in his blue BMW on College Road in Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, and when he saw a teenage boy, he drove at speed directly at him. The car struck the victim at a road junction, causing serious and life-changing injuries. Courts found that the attack was deliberate and intentional.
What charges was Brwa Abdulla convicted of?
Brwa Abdulla was convicted of Section 18 wounding with intent and admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Section 18 wounding with intent is one of the most serious non-homicide offences in English law and covers cases where a person deliberately and unlawfully causes grievous bodily harm with the intent to do so.
Where is Brwa Abdulla being held?
The specific prison where Brwa Abdulla is held has not been publicly confirmed. As a young adult offender serving a ten-year sentence, he is likely to be held in a young offender institution or an adult prison depending on the conditions of his placement within the HM Prison and Probation Service estate.
