Boxer's car 'sped past red light'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/manchester/7049220.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A motorist saw a man being thrown in the air after boxer Amir Khan's car sped past her, a court has heard.

Katherine Brierley was waiting at red traffic lights in Bolton town centre when Mr Khan overtook her and hit a pedestrian on a pelican crossing.

Miss Brierley told a jury at Bolton Crown Court that Khan travelled through a red light in the right turn only lane at a speed of over 40mph.

Mr Khan, 20, of Lostock, near Bolton, denies dangerous driving.

The incident, which was captured on CCTV, happened on 2 March 2006.

The BMW then swerved and then I saw a body shoot up into the air Katherine Brierley, witness

Miss Brierley said she was behind another vehicle in the left hand lane at the lights in Bradshawgate for up to 20 seconds when she first noticed the boxer's vehicle.

She said: "I saw a sudden flash, a silver BMW. It went through a red light in the right turn only lane."

She said she saw two pedestrians on the crossing, a man in a blue waterproof jacket and a man dressed in black who was the injured pedestrian, Geoffrey Hatton.

"I thought the man in blue was going to be the person hit. The BMW then swerved and then I saw a body shoot up into the air," she said.

Wrong lane

Earlier, Mr Hatton, 55, of Bolton, said he did not see the BMW before it hit him.

He assumed the road was safe to cross as all cars at the junction had stopped.

The court was told that he panicked and ran back into the path of the BMW.

The Crown Prosecution Service said Mr Khan's driving was dangerous regardless of whether or not there had been a collision.

They allege the reigning Commonwealth champion was driving at speed and overtaking in the wrong lane and had gone through a red light.

The hearing continues.