On 1 December 2008, Ahmed appeared at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on a charge of dangerous driving. Ahmed admitted sending and receiving five text messages on his phone while driving two minutes before the crash, and pleaded guilty. He was banned from driving until his sentencing. On 22 December, Sheffield Magistrates' Court referred the case for sentencing at the Crown Court on 19 January due to its "aggravating features". This was later put back until 25 February. Ahmed was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, which meant he would serve six weeks in jail, and he was disqualified from driving for 12 months.