A driver has told a jury he denies racing his brother before a crash which claimed the life of Powys dad and rugby coach Rhys Jenkins.
Abubakr Ben Yusaf, 31, and is on trial at Mold Crown Court, denies causing Mr Jenkins’ death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury to Mr Jenkins’ son, Ioan on November 16, 2024.
The court heard Abubakr and his older brother Umar, 35, had been travelling home to Manchester from Aberystwyth in separate cars on the evening of the crash. Abubakr was driving a red BMW X3, while Umar was in a blue Audi.
Both men worked as optometrists in Ceredigion during the week and regularly returned home at weekends.
Evidence from roadside cameras showed the distance between the two vehicles reduced significantly during the journey - from around two minutes apart when they left Aberystwyth at 5.10pm, to less than a minute in Llanidloes, until they were just six seconds apart outside at Newtown by around 6.10pm.
The fatal collision happened near Wernllwyd Farm, just after the Horseshoes Inn between Berriew and Welshpool, shortly before 6.20pm.
The defendant told the court the incident had affected him "massively", adding: "It was a very traumatic experience and a terrible thing that has happened. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about what’s happened.
“I wish I could do something to change it. Even if I gave my life to save the gentleman, I would. My heart goes out to the family. I’m devastated. It’s something that will always stay with me and affect me forever.”
Prosecutors allege the brothers were racing - an accusation both men deny. Abubakr told the court he was unaware his brother was nearby and said they had not been in contact during the drive.
The prosecution claimed Abubakr overtook at least 10 vehicles before the collision, but he insisted he had stayed within the speed limit and only overtook when he believed it was safe to do so.
But prosecuting barrister David Maidstone suggested his driving - based on witness statements - had been “aggressive, erratic, intimidating and dangerous”, describing him as “impatient with every person on the road”.
Dashcam footage shown to the court from a witness captured two vehicles - including the red BMW - overtaking her car near Berriew minutes before the crash. In the recording, she can be heard shouting “f***ing d***heads” and stating she was travelling at 55mph.
Abubakr accepted the footage “doesn’t look great” but said at the time he believed the manoeuvre was safe and within the speed limit.
He then told the court he remembered the car losing control and veering into the opposite carriageway before the collision.
“I remember veering over to the other lane and then being in a collision, but not much of the impact,” he said.
“My next memory is waking up in the car, panicking and in a state of shock. I could see blood but didn’t know where it was coming from. The car was badly damaged, the windscreen smashed - it didn’t look normal. I felt the safest thing to do was to get out.”
Abubakr denied travelling at excessive speed and said he believed he lost control of the BMW due to a “sudden change in road conditions”.
The court heard that at the point of impact with Mr Jenkins’ Toyota Yaris, the BMW was travelling at more than 63mph despite braking having been applied around 40 metres earlier.
Abubakr said the loss of control “didn’t give me time to react”, but Mr Maidstone challenged this, saying: “We know it slid for 40 metres. The reality is you were doing significantly more than the speed limit.”
Jurors have previously heard expert evidence that there was nothing wrong with the road surface and conditions were good.
“All along that road you were driving recklessly and quickly,” Mr Maidstone said. Abubakr replied: “I disagree.”
After the crash, Abubakr said he saw his brother’s vehicle, which was empty, and got into the passenger seat. The court heard a witness reported hearing a man say: “Let’s go, let’s go. There’s nothing we can do here.” Abubakr said he did not recall saying this, adding: “I don’t think it’s something I would have said. I wanted to get to hospital.”
Mr Maidstone suggested he was trying to leave the scene. Asked why he did not wait for an ambulance, Abubakr replied: “I was in a state. I didn’t know what was going on.”
When asked if he gave any thought to Mr Jenkins and his son at the time, Abubakr said: “At that moment, no.”
CCTV later showed the brothers arriving at Tesco in Welshpool at 6.31pm. The prosecution alleges that, despite claiming to be dazed and confused, Abubakr downloaded an app to obtain temporary insurance in an attempt to “partially get out of trouble”. He denied this.
The court heard the brothers later returned towards the scene, where they were stopped by a PCSO at the roundabout near Coed y Dinas. Body-worn footage captured Abubakr saying: “I don’t want him involved.”
Mr Maidstone suggested both men were trying to protect each other. “He was trying to save himself and you were trying to save him, weren’t you?” he said.
The trial continues.
