A delivery driver who killed a five-year-old boy after driving the wrong way down a one-way street to save time has been jailed for six years.

Colin Agyei, 32, of Knottingley, West Yorkshire, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court after being convicted of causing the death of Abdullah Ebrahim by dangerous driving.

Agyei was driving his Nissan Note along Back Camberley Street on July 7, 2022, when he struck Abdullah as the youngster crossed the narrow residential back street.

The five-year-old was taken to hospital following the collision but died a short time later.

Driver ignored one-way restriction to save time

The court heard Back Camberley Street was rarely used by vehicles and was subject to a clearly marked one-way system.

Prosecutors said Agyei ignored the restriction and drove the wrong way along the street because taking the route saved him time while working as a delivery driver.

Investigators estimated he was travelling at around 15mph when the collision occurred.

However, testing carried out as part of the investigation found that speeds above 7mph could not be driven safely along the narrow street.

Sentencing Agyei, Judge Tom Bayliss KC said: “You took Abdullah’s life when you took a shortcut down a one-way street.

“You did for no better reason than it saved you time as a delivery driver.

“The one-way system was clearly signed and you had ample opportunity to observe these signs.

“It’s a narrow street separating back gardens of two rows of terraced houses – the sort of place where children may either be playing or crossing.”

Mother describes moment she found Abdullah

In a victim impact statement, Abdullah’s mother, Salma Begun, described the lasting trauma caused by finding her son lying in the street after the collision.

She said: “What I cannot understand, and what I will never forget, is that he failed to stop and left my child there.

“I will never forget the image of Abdullah lying on the floor on his own. That image has stayed with me for four years. It is something I carry every single day.”

Mrs Begun also spoke of the impact of the lengthy wait for the case to reach court and said attending the trial had forced her to relive the circumstances surrounding her son’s death.

She told the court she believed Agyei’s account had changed during the proceedings and felt he had not been truthful about what happened.

‘A truly tragic and entirely avoidable collision’

Detective Sergeant Steve Suggitt, of West Yorkshire Police‘s Major Collision Enquiry Team, described Abdullah’s death as the result of a “truly tragic” and entirely avoidable collision.

Police said Abdullah would not have expected a vehicle to be travelling towards him along the road and had no time to react.

Det Sgt Suggitt said: “While he has been given a custodial sentence, I know that no sentence can ever in any way equate to the lifetime of grief that Abdullah’s family now face.”

Agyei was sentenced to six years in prison for causing Abdullah’s death by dangerous driving.