In 2025, Birmingham experienced an extraordinary year of criminal cases that shocked the community and kept the justice system fully engaged. From violent robberies on dating apps to attempted murder, child abduction, and even a bungled assassination, the city faced a spectrum of disturbing offenses.
Early in the year, five men were sentenced for a violent robbery spree targeting victims on the gay dating app Grindr, stealing over £100,000 during assaults in Birmingham and nearby Derby. Their attacks, often luring victims to locations like Golden Hillock Sports Ground in Sparkbrook, earned nearly 80 years of combined jail time.
A tragic murder gripped the city when 38-year-old Michael Obasi was found dead in Perry Hall Playing Fields. Three men and three teenagers were convicted of robbing and murdering Obasi and received life sentences totaling nearly 120 years. Another harrowing case involved 22-year-old Liam Jones, fatally struck by a car in Yardley after a reckless pursuit by the driver, Abdirahman Ibrahim, who was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years for murder.
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Historical crimes also emerged in the spotlight when a 1990s child prostitution ring led to convictions for Paul Doyle and Anthony Bayliss. Doyle managed escort agencies exploiting underage girls while Bayliss posed as a TV producer to solicit illegal services. The pair received prison terms exceeding six and nine years respectively.
A shocking attempted murder unfolded when newlyweds Wasif Hussain and Nabela Tabassum attacked Hussain’s stepmother in Kings Norton wearing animal masks. After a brutal assault involving a hammer and knife, the victim survived, leading to lengthy sentences for the couple.
Family betrayal also marked the year as Steven and Matthew Baker orchestrated a four-hour kidnapping and beating of Anthony Cooper, motivated by jealousy and financial disputes. All involved were imprisoned following their conviction.
The horrifying acts of Imaan Coley and Mohammed Khan came to light after they starved, tortured, and humiliated vulnerable victims, including forcing one woman to drink her own urine. Both were deemed dangerous offenders and sentenced to long terms.
Teen violence surfaced tragically with the murder of 17-year-old Reuben Higgins inside a Solihull vape shop. Despite the youth of the perpetrators, life sentences were handed down, while a key suspect remains at large. Meanwhile, immigration debates intensified following the conviction of Mohammed Wahid Mohammed, an asylum seeker who sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl in Handsworth.
One of the most sensational cases featured US national Aimee Betro, dubbed an ‘assassin’ after a failed attempt to kill a Birmingham man amid a family feud. Disguised in niqab and burka, Betro’s bungled mission and subsequent arson sparked an international manhunt before her 30-year sentence.
Domestic violence was starkly highlighted when Raju Mollah subjected his wife to a horrific hot oil attack, leaving her severely burned. Esteemed popstar Myleene Klass also became the target of obsessive stalker Peter Windsor, whose disturbing gifts and letters revealed his fixation.
A nightmare for any parent unfolded when Mohammed Abdulraziq abducted and sexually assaulted a five-year-old girl in Winson Green. Found guilty, Abdulraziq awaits sentencing.
Gang violence continued to claim lives, exemplified by the fatal stabbing of promising footballer Sekou Doucoure in a turf war between local postcode gangs. His killer received 22 years for manslaughter.
The year closed on a chilling youth crime when a 13-year-old schoolgirl stabbed a classmate in the neck following months of bullying and homophobic abuse. Though cleared of attempted murder, she was convicted of wounding with intent and awaits sentencing in 2026.
These cases collectively paint a grim picture of Birmingham’s challenges in 2025, spotlighting issues from gang rivalry and domestic violence to exploitation and tragic youth crime.