Sheffield man helped brother flee to Turkey after fatal takeaway stabbing in Darnall
“You have caused justice to be defeated,” Sheffield’s most senior judge told a 27-year-old who helped his brother flee to Turkey in the hours after a fatal attack in a city takeaway.
Hamza Mohammed was just 23-years-old when he was stabbed in an incident at the Charcoal Grill on Staniforth Road in Darnall, Sheffield.
Hamza was rushed to hospital but could not be saved, and died two days later.
Murder suspect, Danyal Iqbal, fled to Turkey the day after the stabbing, and has never returned to the United Kingdom.
Today (Thursday, January 29, 2026), Danyal’s brother, Adam, was jailed for perverting the course of justice, after he helped with travel arrangements - and even accompanied him in the taxi to the airport.
“He never faced trial for murder...because you helped him flee this country”
Sending Adam Iqbal to begin a prison sentence, The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richards KC, told him: “Anyone who assists a person in the way you did must expect to receive a condign punishment.”
He continued: “In the ordinary course of events, your brother would have been arrested shortly afterwards…he would have faced trial, and it would have been for the jury to decide if he was guilty of that.”
“He never faced trial for murder, the reason for that is because you helped him flee this country. Your contribution to this is significant and serious.”
Judge Richardson noted that Hamza was still alive when Adam Iqbal assisted his brother in leaving the country.”
He added, however: “There is no question whatsoever: you knew he committed a very serious offence of violence…that speaks for itself by what you sought to do.”
Hamza was stabbed shortly after 4.30pm on June 8, 2024. The first call to the emergency services was made at around 4.33pm, and a minute later, Danyal Iqbal, called Adam Iqbal, marking the beginning of a flurry of calls between the two brothers in the hours following the incident.
The two brothers travelled to Manchester Airport in a taxi in the early hours of the following morning, and at 3.28pm on June 9, 2024, Danyal Iqbal left the country, and the jurisdiction, on a flight bound for Turkey, David Outterside, prosecuting, told Sheffield Crown Court.
Danyal Iqbal, now aged 22, formerly of Popple Street, Grimesthorpe, Sheffield, was charged with Hamza’s murder in his absence, and his current whereabouts is not known.
“The moment your brother sets foot in the UK, he - as night follows day - will be arrested and brought before the courts.
But at the moment, it is not known where he is. Consequently, you’ve made a material, and significant, contribution to justice being defeated, Judge Richardson told Adam Iqbal, who spent much of his sentencing hearing staring at the floor.
Family of stabbing victim say they “forgive” Iqbal brothers - but will never forget suffering caused
In a heart-rending statement to the court, Hamza’s sister, Tiyba, said Adam Iqbal’s actions had left her family “in despair” because they know they may never get the justice Hamza deserves.
“If Adam had not assisted then my family would be able to at least rest in the knowledge that someone had been held accountable for their crime - and not have our suffering prolonged.”
“Your actions have taken away our sense of safety, and our trust in others. The loss we have to live with is permanent, and the impact on our lives will continue forever.”
“Adam did not murder my brother, but his actions played a huge part in what happened.”
“As a Muslim, me and my family forgive you and your brother for the sake of Allah, but we will never forget the suffering and pain this causes us.”
She added: “Hamza wasn’t just my brother, he was my first best friend, my protector.”
“My parents didn’t just lose a son, we didn’t just lose a sibling, we lost a piece of ourselves…Hamza was a genuine piece of our hearts.”
Brothers swapped phones after stabbing - but murder accused made major error after arriving in Turkey
Evidence gathered by detectives included CCTV which shows Daniel Iqbal entering the Rubans Convenience Store on Prince of Wales Road in Manor, Sheffield, around two hours after the stabbing, and purchasing a new mobile phone and SIM card.
“Daniel Iqbal uses the new number and makes contact with the defendant’s number throughout June 8 and 9,” said Mr Outterside.
Detectives were also able to obtain a recording of a call made by Adam Iqbal, using the name “Sam” to a taxi company, in which he requested a car to take them from a Rotherham address to Manchester Airport.
The journey was refused, however, after he told the call handler he would not be able to provide a deposit using a bank card and wanted to pay with cash, Mr Outterside told the court.
Adam Iqbal, who appeared in the dock wearing a grey tracksuit, called the same taxi company back, this time requesting a local trip from a Rotherham address to a Sheffield one.
After Danyal and Adam Iqbal were picked up, one of the two brothers became “threatening and told the driver he would cause trouble if he didn’t take them to the airport,” Mr Outterside said, adding that the taxi driver did as he was told and took them to Manchester Airport.
Adam and Danyal Iqbal swapped SIM cards in the hours after the killing, but Danyal failed to “get rid” of the handset as instructed a short time after arriving in Turkey, the court heard.
Mr Outterside said recording equipment in a taxi taken by Adam Iqbal on the evening of June 9, 2024, shows him receiving a call from Danyal Iqbal and telling him: “Are you ringing me on that new phone…you dumb b******, what the f***?”
In the hours after Danyal Iqbal is believed to have arrived in Turkey, officers tasked with arresting him attended at three addresses connected to the Iqbal family.
Adam Iqbal, meanwhile, was arrested six days after the killing before being recalled to prison to serve the remainder of a sentence for violent disorder.
He had been released on licence from that sentence less than six weeks earlier on April 25, 2024.
Adam Iqbal was subsequently charged with, and pleaded guilty to, perverting the course of justice by assisting Danyal Iqbal at an earlier hearing.
Defendant’s “consequential thinking” skills affected after coming off anti-psychotic medication
Defending, Daniel Ingham referred Judge Richardson to a letter from his client, in which he detailed the remorse he feels.
Mr Ingham said Adam Iqbal, of HMP Humber, was prescribed anti-psychotic medication by prison doctors whilst he was serving his violent disorder sentence, but nothing was put in place to ensure he continued on that course of treatment after he was released from custody.
“Adam Iqbal accepts this may have affected his ability to engage his consequential thinking,” +
“It doesn’t excuse it, but it does perhaps explain why he engaged in the behaviour he did,” said Mr Ingham, before noting that Adam Iqbal has been put back on anti-psychotic medication, but on a higher dose, since returning to custody.
Mr Ingham continued in his medication by telling the court Adam Iqbal has been making productive use of his time in custody, securing work and enrolling on courses in areas including business studies; health and safety; customer service and IT.
Handing Adam Iqbal a prison sentence of three years, eight months, Judge Richardson told him: “You have caused justice to be defeated…I hope that is in the short term. Time will tell.”