Driver Sentenced to Over 11 Years for Deliberate Attack Outside Birmingham Nightclub
A man who deliberately drove his Mercedes SUV into a crowd outside a Birmingham nightclub, causing life-threatening injuries to a DJ and his own friend, has been jailed for more than 11 years.
Mohammed Suffi, 23, from Hampton Road in Aston, was found guilty of wounding with intent at Birmingham Crown Court. He had already admitted to charges of affray and dangerous driving for the violent incident outside the Tunnel Club in the Jewellery Quarter.
Chaotic Night of Violence and Retribution
The court heard how the events unfolded in the early hours of October 3, 2024, during a Freshers' Week student event at the Tunnel Club. Suffi had driven himself and three friends to the venue in his Mercedes SUV.
After being ejected from the club following a confrontation, the group waited outside for the venue to close. When the man they had previously argued with emerged, a fight erupted involving all four defendants.
Judge Paul Farrer KC told the court: "Having waited intent upon retribution, you had lost the fight and as a group you felt humiliated. In consequence, Mohammed Suffi lost his temper and drove his Mercedes at some speed at people who had left the club."
Deliberate Attack with 'Highly Dangerous Weapon'
Suffi's rage led to a series of deliberate attacks with his vehicle. He first drove at the crowd, striking several people. After driving around the block, he returned to find his friend Mustafa Gohari on the ground being attacked.
The judge described what happened next: "Mohammed Suffi, having completely lost his temper, then pulled quickly away and drove at Mr Calistus intending to hit him with the car. As he did that, Mr Calistus fell to the ground and the jury's verdict must mean that Suffi was aware of that. He made no attempt to stop and instead continued forward, driving over Mr Calistus with both sets of wheels."
Suffi also drove over Gohari, who was lying nearby. The driver then made several more passes at the club, swerving toward pedestrians and pinning one man against another parked vehicle.
Life-Changing Injuries and Aftermath
DJ Caliston Calistus, 28, suffered devastating injuries including:
- Three broken vertebrae
- Fractured collarbones, shoulder blades, breastbone, ribs, hip and pelvis
- Both lungs collapsing
In a victim impact statement, Mr Calistus said: "The severe scarring and changes to my body structure and posture cause deep insecurities. It is hard to look in the mirror and accept this is me now." He had built his DJ business since age 16 but can no longer work in that profession.
Mustafa Gohari suffered a broken vertebrae in the attack. After the incident, Suffi removed the plates from his Mercedes, hid the vehicle at an industrial estate in Oldbury, and flew to Dubai that evening. He returned to the UK a month later but didn't surrender to police until his arrest six months after the attack.
Sentencing and Judge's Remarks
Judge Farrer sentenced Suffi to 11 years and six months in prison, with an additional driving ban of 10 years and 7 months. The judge stated: "You deliberately drove over a man with a large SUV-type car which amounts to the use of a highly dangerous weapon. Your actions were motivated by a desire for revenge following the humiliation you felt after losing the fight you started."
The judge concluded that Suffi was "intent on causing mayhem and injury to those in the road" during his rage-fueled attack.
Co-Defendants Receive Suspended Sentences
Suffi's three co-defendants all pleaded guilty to a single count of affray:
- Mustafa Gohari, 21, of Broad Road, Acocks Green
- Armaan Abid, 23, of Bayswater Road, Handsworth
- Daanyal Hussain, 21, of Geraldine Road, Yardley
Each received an 11-month sentence suspended for 18 months, along with 180 hours of unpaid work. Gohari and Abid must complete 30 days of rehabilitation activity, while Hussain must do 25 days.
Judge Farrer noted that while their actions were serious, all three had realistic prospects of rehabilitation and did not pose a high risk of reoffending or harm to the public.
