By James Simons-
A gate away driver has admitted being the getaway driver after former world boxing champion Amir Khan was robbed at gunpoint for his diamond-encrusted £70,000 watch.
The 2004 Olympic silver medallist, 36, was targeted as he and his wife, Faryal Makhdoom, 31, left the Sahara Grill restaurant in Leyton, east London, on April 18 last year.
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The 2004 Olympic silver medallist, 36, was targeted as he and his wife, Faryal Makhdoom, 31, left the Sahara Grill restaurant in Leyton, east London, on April 18 last year.
Khan was compelled to hand over his £70,000 bespoke rose gold diamond-encrusted Franck Muller watch by gunman Dante Campbell, 20, Snaresbrook Crown Court has heard.
Campbell and Ahmed Bana, 25, who drove the robbers to and from the scene in a silver Mercedes coupe have admitted conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of an imitation firearm.
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Two other men – 24-year-old Ismail Mohamed and 25-year-old Nurul Amin – are on trial accused of acting as “spotters” with Hamza Kulane, who is not on trial.
The three men had dined in the restaurant to keep track of Mr Khan’s movements and relay them by phone to Bana.
Mohamed, from Edmonton, and Amin, from Harringay, both in north London, deny conspiracy to rob.
Ahmed Bana, 25, admitted taking part in the plot, midway through a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
Prosecutors said he was the driver of a silver Mercedes, which dropped gunman Dante Campbell and another unknown robber at the scene before serving as the getaway vehicle.
Bana, from Tottenham, admitted conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of an imitation firearm after being re-arraigned on the charges on Thursday.
Two other men – 24-year-old Ismail Mohamed and 25-year-old Nurul Amin – remain on trial.
Mohamed, from Edmonton, and Amin, from Harringay, deny conspiracy to rob.
The court has been told how Khan was forced to hand over his bespoke rose gold diamond-encrusted Franck Muller watch, worth between £60,000 to £70,000, by Campbell, 20, from Hornsey, in north London, who the jury was told had pleaded guilty.
Khan, who was once a unified world boxing champion at light-welterweight, said he looked into the handgun’s barrel when the armed robber pointed the weapon in his face and told him: “Take off the watch.”
The robbery, which lasted just seconds, was captured on CCTV played to the jury, showing Khan smiling as he leaves the restaurant with his wife.
The couple can be seen crossing the road towards a waiting car driven by his friend, Omar Khalid, while two robbers get out of a Mercedes coupe parked in front.
As Khan goes to open the passenger-side door, a hooded man jogs towards him, raising his right arm to point the gun at the Bolton-born boxer, who hands over his watch.
The robbers then run off back to the Mercedes, which drives off, as members of the public rush towards Khan.
Khan, who retired last year with a professional record of 34 wins from his 40 fights, earlier told jurors his wife was left “screaming and crying” following the robbery.
“(I was) really scared. I have got three kids, my wife was next to me as well.
“(I was) really, really scared,” he told the jury.
“I’m a sportsman, I’m a fighter. I have always been put in the toughest situations when I go into the ring and fight someone, but this was totally different, very, very scary.”
The jury were asked to return guilty verdicts to both charges after hearing his pleas.
Judge Louise Kamill said: “Members of the jury, you are in charge of a man’s guilt or otherwise.
“You being in charge means you must return the verdict and therefore I’m going to ask our clerk please to put the counts to you and I’m going to choose one of your number just to respond to the clerk’s questions. The defendant has admitted his guilt in your presence. The trial continues against the other two defendants.”
Amin and Mohamed, along with another man who is not on trial, are alleged to have acted as “spotters” – dining in the restaurant to keep track of Mr Khan’s movements and relay them by phone to Bana.
The trial continues
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