Car 'ploughed straight through' group during wedding street row that left 'Good Samaritan', 46, dead as he tried to help stranger lying in the street, witness tells court

A speeding motorist ploughed straight through a group of people during a row about a wedding, leaving a 'Good Samaritan' dead as he tried to help a stranger lying in the street, a witness has told the court.

James Hammond was giving evidence at the trial of Hassan Jhangur, who denies murdering father-of-two Chris Marriott, 46, in the Burngreave area of Sheffield in December.

Mr Hammond told Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday how he was looking out of his bedroom window when he saw Mr Marriott helping a young woman, who had been knocked to the floor in an altercation that he also witnessed.

He told a jury how he then heard the 'the revving of an engine and the car speeding up'.

Mr Hammond, who lives at the junction of College Close and College Court, said the speed of the car was 'inappropriate' and he believed it was 'used as a weapon'.

The witness said: 'I saw the car on the wrong side of the road coming into College Court and aimed at Chris and the young woman.'

He said he saw the car hit Mr Marriott, the young woman and a midwife who had also come to help, saying: 'It ploughed straight through them.'

Mr Hammond said the car came to a stop in his garden, outside his front door.

He explained how he was first alerted that day by people shouting outside and how he looked out of his window to see an altercation between some members of the Khan family, who lived opposite, and others that he did not know.

Asked if he saw what caused the young woman to fall the floor, he told the jury: 'I think being hit repeatedly while having your hair pulled would lead to said injuries.'

He said: 'When I looked out again, that's when I saw Chris tending to the young lady.'

And he said: 'He appeared out of nowhere.'

Prosecutors have described how Jhangur drove a Seat Ibiza into five people on December 27 last year, leaving Mr Marriott dead and others injured.

The jury has heard how Mr Marriott had been out for a Christmas walk with his family when he spotted a young woman on the floor and went to help along with an off-duty midwife, Alison Norris.

The injured young woman was Nafeesa Jhangur - the defendant's sister.

The court has been told that the car first hit a man called Riasat Khan, who was sent 'cartwheeling' over the bonnet, before driving into Mr Marriott, Ms Norris, Ms Jhangur and her mother, Ambreen.

Prosecutors said Jhangur then got out of the vehicle and attacked a man called Hasan Khan with a knife.

The jury has been told that the background to the incident was a dispute between the Khan family and the Jhangur family, in the wake of a wedding that morning between Hasan Khan and the defendant's sister, Amaani Jhangur.

Prosecutors said that Nafeesa and Ambreen Jhangur had gone to the Khans' house and an altercation in the street followed which led to Nafeesa Jhangur getting knocked to the ground.

Jhangur, of Whiteways Road, Sheffield, denies the murder and manslaughter of Mr Marriott but the jury was told he has pleaded guilty to causing Mr Marriott's death by dangerous driving.

He has also admitted causing serious injury to Alison Norris, Ambreen Jhangur, Nafeesa Jhangur and Riasat Khan by dangerous driving.

Jhangur also denies attempting to murder Hasan Khan and wounding him with intent.

The defendant has pleaded not guilty to four charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Jhangur appeared in the dock alongside his father, Mohammed Jhangur, 56, of Whiteways Road, Sheffield, who denies perverting the course of justice. The charge relates to him allegedly concealing a knife.