A driver who murdered an e-bike rider by deliberately ramming him off his bike “to teach him a lesson for doing wheelies” has been jailed for life and will serve a minimum of 22 years.

Abdirahman Ibrahim, 21, hit e-bike rider Liam Jones, 22, twice just after midnight on 1 August 2023, the second time catapulting him into a concrete bollard and causing fatal chest and abdominal injuries.

The driver, in a Seat Leon, was on Coventry Road near the Bulling shopping centre when he came across Mr Jones riding an electric bike with a friend. Mr Jones’ bike was described as an electric off-road bike by the Guardian and an e-motorbike by the BBC. road.cc has asked West Midlands Police for clarification on the type of electric bikes Mr Jones and his friend were riding, the CCTV images below showing the pair being followed by Ibrahim.

Officers believe the driver was angered by Mr Jones’ “showboating”, namely pulling a wheelie in front of him, and turned around at a roundabout to follow the e-bike riders. It is believed Ibrahim “wanted to teach him a lesson” and the enraged driver chased the pair as they tried to get away, changing route and riding the wrong way down a one-way street in a bid to escape their pursuer.

While the other cyclist escaped, Ibrahim drove at Mr Jones twice, the second time ramming him into a concrete bollard and inflicting catastrophic injuries that he later died from at the scene. 

Ibrahim then drove over the bike again before fleeing the scene. He stopped in Sparkbrook and his brother, Abdullahi Ibrahim, who had been a passenger in the vehicle during the incident, called for a taxi just before 1am.

CCTV footage showed the pair stopping at a shop on Coventry Road on the way home. 

Abdullahi Ibrahim pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and has also been jailed for two years and ten months.

At the driver’s trial in February, Birmingham Crown Court heard that on the evening of August 1, 2023, Ibrahim hunted Mr Jones down in his Seat Leon after he was “wound up” by Mr Jones and a friend who were doing wheelies along a road.

Ibrahim, of Yardley, Birmingham, denied murder but was found guilty following a retrial and was today jailed for life, with a minimum term of 22 years.

Detective Inspector Nick Barnes, from West Midlands Police’s homicide unit, said: “Abdirahman Ibrahim was intent on causing harm to Liam. He could have turned off at any point but he followed the riders and wanted to be in control. This was not a case of racing gone wrong as had been claimed by Ibrahim, but of him menacingly pursuing Liam and his friend.

“We believe he was angered by Liam’s showboating and wanted to teach him a lesson. He knew what he had done and did nothing to help, instead driving off. Tragically, Liam lost his life and Ibrahim will now spend many years of his own young life in prison. Ibrahim’s brother may have felt a sense of loyalty, but by trying to help his sibling he is now also a convicted criminal.

“We know Liam’s death caused a lot of concern within the community and our detectives have worked tirelessly – reviewing hours upon hours of CCTV footage and phone records – to ensure we achieved these convictions. While nothing will ever bring Liam back, we hope knowing those involved have been caught and are being punished will provide some solace to his family and friends.”