Jury retires in trial of driver who ran over and killed father as he helped stranger

A jury has retired to consider its verdicts in the trial of a man who ran over and killed a father-of-two who was trying to help a stranger he found lying in the street.

Chris Marriott, 46, was helping a woman called Nafeesa Jhangur when they were both driven over by a Seat Ibiza car driven by Ms Jhangur’s brother, Hassan Jhangur, 24, Sheffield Crown Court has heard.

Jhangur, who denies murder, hit a total of five people when he ploughed into them in College Court, in the Burngreave area of Sheffield, before getting out of the vehicle and attacking another man with a knife, leaving him with serious injuries, prosecutors have told jurors.

The jury of six men and six women has heard how the background to the incident was a dispute between two families following the marriage that morning of Jhangur’s sister, Amaani, to Hasan Khan – the man he stabbed a number of times after the car crashed.

Mr Marriott was out for a post-Christmas walk with his wife and children when he spotted Nafeesa Jhangur lying in the street and went to help along with Alison Norris, a passing off-duty midwife, the four-week-long trial has heard.

Nafessa Jhangur’s mother, Ambreen, was also present when Janghur’s Seat entered the street “at some speed” and first hit Hasan Khan’s father Riasat Khan, who was sent “cartwheeling” over the bonnet, prosecutors said.

Mr Marriott was almost certainly killed instantly, and Nafeesa Jhangur, Ambreen Jhangur and Alison Norris, were all injured.

Tom Storey KC, prosecuting, told the jury that Nafeesa Jhangur had ended up lying on the street following a confrontation between her and members of the Khan family on the morning of December 27 2023, following the wedding.

The jury heard that Mr Marriott and his family had just returned from a Christmas break at his in-laws and were out for a walk as one of his children wanted to try out a new skateboard.

Giving evidence in his trial, Jhangur told the jury he “lost control” of the car as he took the corner into the Khans’ street “too fast” and had no idea anyone was under the vehicle.

The defendant described his family’s concerns about his sister’s wedding and how he panicked after he was woken up by members of his family “screaming and shouting” that “they’ve hit Nafeesa”.

Jhangur admitted he took a knife with him when he drove to the scene, but denied he intended to kill or cause serious harm to anybody.

Describing how he lost control of the car in College Close, he said he only saw Riasat Khan “at the last second” before hitting him and did not realise who he was at the time.

Jhangur told jurors that he punched Hasan Khan because he feared he was going to attack one of his sisters with a baseball bat, and, as he began to take blows, he took out the knife and began “swinging it” without knowing where it was hitting.

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 flanked by five prison officers 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.

Mr Marriott’s wife Bryony watched the proceedings from the public gallery.