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| Boxer Amir Khan accelerated through a red light in his powerful BMW, knocking down a pedestrian on a pelican crossing, a court has heard. Khan's high-performance allegedly reached a top speed of 47mph as he overtook vehicles in the wrong lane just before the traffic lights in Bolton town centre. The injured pedestrian, Geoffrey Hatton, 55, told Bolton Crown Court that just before the collision he heard a "screaming engine" and then found himself on the floor shouting "I've lost my leg". Foundry worker Mr Hatton suffered a broken leg in the crash on March 2 last year. Mr Alaric Bassano said Khan, 20 of Lostock, near Bolton, approached the junction with Great Moor Street at about 4.40pm during peak hour traffic. He said the reigning Commonwealth lightweight champion was well in excess of the speed limit as he accelerated towards the junction. The carriageway was divided into two lanes and Khan wrongly overtook two vehicles in a right-turn only lane as he drove straight on and through the red light. Mr Bassano said: "As he did so some pedestrians were on the pelican crossing. "One of the pedestrians, the last one to cross, was Geoffrey Hatton. "He was in the carriageway as the defendant was driving through the junction. He evidently panicked and he turned back towards the pavement. "He moved into the defendant's line of traffic and the defendant's vehicle hit him." Mr Bassano said Khan was guilty of dangerous driving regardless of whether or not there had been a collision. Questioned by Mr Bassano, Mr Hatton, of Bolton, said he had been walking to a local pub with a work colleague after finishing his shift. The court was told that Khan remained at the scene and was arrested and interviewed by police three months later when he made no comment. Khan denied dangerous driving. The Olympic silver medallist is unbeaten in 14 fights as a professional and has been widely tipped to win a world title. The trial continues. |