Last year, crown court judges in the city handed life sentences down to twisted murderers and a ‘lone wolf’ terrorist
Three teenage boys, a ‘lone wolf’ terrorist and a son who murdered his own mother over the TV remote – these are the criminals jailed for life in 2025.
Only a small number of offenders are handed life sentences, with around 400 people a year across England and Wales given such terms. Although rare, they are common for the most violent or severe crimes like murder.
Inside the walls of Birmingham Crown Court last year, judges handed three teenagers life sentences with varying terms after a vape shop murder.
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Abdurrahman Summers and two younger teens murdered 17-year-old Reuben Higgins inside Vape Minimarket in Marston Green, Solihull in 2024. They were all jailed for life in 2025.
In an entirely separate case, a Muslim convert was also sentenced to life imprisonment for his plot to attack a mosque and bookshop in Birmingham.
More criminals have been jailed for life across the West Midlands region, but these are the six life sentences handed down at Birmingham Crown Court in 2025:
Jason Savage
Jason Savage
A ‘lone wolf’ terrorist who planned to attack a mosque and a bookshop in Birmingham was handed a life sentence last year.
Jason Savage converted to Islam in the 2010s and followed an extreme and violent interpretation of the Salafi movement.
The 35-year-old targeted a Salafi cleric associated with a Small Heath mosque and bookstore because the target was an outspoken critic of Islamist terrorism and extremism.
Video issued by West Midlands Police showed Savage on a reconnaissance mission three days before his arrest.
In the footage, he walked around the location of the mosque and bookstore, discussing points of entry, the routes the police would likely attend from and escape routes.
Savage also downloaded and watched violent and extremist videos, researched how to kill with a knife and how to make parts of a gun and ammunition. He also scouted out military buildings and police stations as potential locations.
Days before his arrest, Savage changed his Whatsapp profile to ‘Lone Wolf’.
On the day of his arrest, Savage’s messaging and intentions increased. In a voice note to a friend – in fact an undercover officer- he told him he would “see him in paradise” as he expected to die in the terror attack.
Abdurrahman Summers and two 16-year-old boys
Abdurrahman Summers(Image: WMP)
Abdurrahman Summers and two younger teenagers murdered 17-year-old Reuben Higgins inside Vape Minimarket in Marston Green, Solihull on October 29, 2024.
A fourth suspect, a man, is believed to have inflicted the fatal stab wound but remains at large having left the country. The three teenagers caught by police were handed life sentences.
Summers, 19 and from Yardley, was handed a minimum of 19 years before parole while two 16-year-old boys, too young to be named, were given minimum terms of 15 years and 17 years.
Surjit Singh
Surjit Singh(Image: WMP)
Surjit Singh murdered his elderly mother after she took the TV remote control from him.
He repeatedly kicked and stamped on 76-year-old Mohinder Kaur at their family home in Handsworth on September 29, 2024.
Singh, 36, who had been her sole carer, had flown into a rage fuelled by drink and drugs at a time when he was also suffering from a mental disorder.
He admitted murder and was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 15 years.
Abdirahman Ibrahim
Abdirahman Ibrahim who pursued 22-year-old Liam Jones and then drove into the back of him(Image: West Midlands Police / SWNS)
Abdirahman Ibrahim brutally murdered an e-biker he did not even know on the streets of Birmingham on August 1, 2023.
Liam Jones, 22, died after being shunted from his bike on Moat Lane, Yardley, shortly before midnight.
Last May, 2025, Ibrahim was jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years after being found guilty of murder.
Before the sentence was delivered, Birmingham Crown Court heard an emotional statement from Mr Jones’ sister on behalf of his parents and five siblings.
It said: “Liam was taken from us at just 22 at a time where he should have been living his life to the maximum, enjoying every day, being care-free, having a laugh and making memories.
“But that was taken away from him in the worst possible way.
“I don’t think any of us will ever get over the fact we never got to say goodbye to Liam.
“We never had the chance to tell him just how much we all loved him.
“We all woke up that day and had no idea our lives would never be the same again.”