A coroner has ruled that the driver who fatally struck 15-year-old Ethan Allen in Oldham was over the legal cannabis limit and travelling above the speed limit when the collision happened.

Ethan died two days after being hit by a black Seat Ibiza on King Street on 21 May 2024. An inquest at Rochdale Coroner's Court on 15 July 2026 heard evidence from witnesses, police and the driver, Abdul Wahid, as reported by the Manchester Evening News.

Assistant coroner Joanne Logan recorded that Ethan died accidentally from a traumatic brain injury. She said the collision happened as Ethan ran across the road when traffic lights had turned green, but she was satisfied Mr Wahid was "driving under the influence of cannabis over the speed limit".

Remembering Ethan

Ethan, from Oldham, was described by his mother Gillian Walsh as a loving teenager with "the most amazing smile" who dreamed of becoming a basketball player. His father Gordon Allen broke down in tears at the inquest, saying he would have loved to see his son achieve his dreams.

His family said he was energetic, funny and popular at Oasis Academy Oldham. He played for Oldham State Warriors and Royton Mavericks, had recently become a basketball referee, and was out with his girlfriend on the evening he was struck.

"Ethan was a very energetic funny loving young boy who always made time for others. He was always smiling," his family said in a tribute issued through Greater Manchester Police after his death.

Ethan was taken to hospital in critical condition after the crash at around 8:10pm on Tuesday 21 May 2024. He died on Thursday 23 May at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. His family later said his organs were donated to save another life — a decision the coroner praised at the inquest.

What witnesses and the driver told the court

Witness Harris Rashid told the court he saw Ethan "skipping and dancing" as he crossed the busy three-lane road near Oldham Leisure Centre, the MEN reported. Mr Rashid said Ethan's girlfriend shouted for him to get out of the road, but it was too late. He claimed the Seat Ibiza had undertaken his vehicle moments earlier.

The court heard the area had no designated pedestrian crossing, and that lanes two and three were separated from lane one by an island. Ethan's head hit the windscreen before he was thrown several feet into the air.

Mr Wahid told the court he was driving home after buying a takeaway. He said he saw a pedestrian with long hair in the middle lane but did not see Ethan until the last moment, and denied weaving through traffic or exceeding 25mph.

When first asked whether he accepted being under the influence of cannabis, he answered yes, before later answering no after the coroner reminded him he did not have to answer questions that might incriminate him.

Forensic collision investigator David Bennett said CCTV was limited but suggested Mr Wahid was probably travelling above 30mph and that there appeared to be no effective braking before impact. DS Thomas Johnson of GMP's serious collision unit said he could not say specifically how cannabis might have affected reaction times. Mr Wahid gave no comment in police interviews.

What the coroner concluded

The inquest was not a criminal trial. Ms Logan recorded an accidental death — meaning Ethan's death was unintended — rather than determining criminal liability. Mr Wahid was arrested at the scene in May 2024 on suspicion of causing injury by careless driving and has since been released on bail; any prosecution would be a separate court process.

Ms Logan thanked Ethan's family for attending and praised their decision to donate his organs. His parents told the inquest they would have loved to see him achieve his dreams.

The cannabis finding in context

The inquest's finding that Mr Wahid was over the legal cannabis limit is likely to draw attention beyond Oldham, but it formed one part of a wider factual picture rather than the whole story. The coroner also addressed speed, the layout of the road, and the moment Ethan crossed as the lights changed.

Under UK law, drug driving is a separate offence from possession. Police can prosecute when THC is found above the 2 micrograms per litre blood limit — they do not always need to prove a driver felt impaired. That is the same legal framework that applied in the recent Greater Manchester case of Annie Banister, who was convicted despite telling the court she felt sober hours after last using cannabis.

For anyone who uses cannabis and drives, our guide to driving after cannabis sets out why there is no simple "wait X hours" rule. It is a legal backdrop to this case, not the reason Ethan Allen's family are grieving.

Reporting based on coverage in the Manchester Evening News, 16 July 2026, and Greater Manchester Police statements, May 2024.