Car crashed into Sheffield’s father Chris Marriott, court heard

Chaotic scenes were described in court that took place shortly before a father of two children, who was helping a stranger, was fatally hit by a car.

Chris Marriott, 46, was killed on December 27 when he became involved in a wedding feud between two families in Burngreave, Sheffield, a court case heard.

A jury at Sheffield Crown Court heard on Wednesday that several other people were also seriously injured when a car driven by Hassan Jhangur ploughed into them.

Mr Jhangur, aged 24, of Whiteways Road, Sheffield, denies murdering or beating Mr Marriott to death.

The court had previously heard that Mr Jhangur also denied charges of attempted murder and wounding with intent in connection with another victim.

He admitted causing death by dangerous driving but denied the charge of grievous bodily harm.

Meanwhile, Mr Jhangur’s 56-year-old father, Mohammed Jhangur, has denied the allegation of perverting the course of justice.

The jury heard on Wednesday that a wedding between Amaani Jhangur and Hasan Khan on the morning of December 27 led to a dispute between the two families in College Close.

Witnessed was neighbour James Hammond, who told the court he saw people pulling each other’s hair and that Ms Jhangur’s sister Nafeesa was hit “multiple times” before she fell to the ground.

At that moment, Mr Marriott and another passerby, midwife Alison Norris, both walking with their families, came to Nafeesa Jhangur’s aid.

Mr Hammond said the next thing he noticed was a “revving engine” and a car travelling at “inappropriate” speed.

“I saw the car on the wrong side of the road, coming into College Close and aiming at Chris and the young woman,” he told the jury.

“I saw it hit the young woman, Chris and the midwife. It flew right into them.”

The court was told that the car first hit Riasat Khan, who then performed a “somersault” over the bonnet.

It then crashed into Mr Marriott, Ms Norris, Nafeesa Jhangur and her mother Ambreen.

All suffered serious injuries and Mr Marriott died at the scene of the accident a short time later.

Mr Hammond told the jury he then saw the driver get out of the car and appear “absent-minded and not quite in his right mind”.

“Everyone seemed to be in shock at what had just happened,” Mr Hammond said.

Another neighbor, Lisa Poulton, said she ran down the street after hearing “a bang.”

She said she saw the driver get out of the vehicle, put his hands over his face and say, “That’s my sister under the car.”

The jury was told that a fight broke out shortly afterwards in which the driver was attacked by others.

One of the attackers was carrying a weapon that appeared to be a baseball bat, the court heard.

Ms Poulton said: “I couldn’t understand why everyone was shouting and fighting when there were injured people under the car.”

Another witness, Vanessa Moutrey, who worked nearby, said she also heard the commotion leading up to the collision.

She said she called emergency services but did not feel safe enough to approach and help.

“By this time I had already walked down Scott Road on the other side,” she told the court.

“I didn’t want to see anything that might not be beautiful.”

Prosecutor Tom Storey KC told jurors earlier this week that Mr Jhangur attacked Hasan Khan after the clash and stabbed him several times.

Mr Jhangur’s father Mohammed, who arrived at the scene later, is believed to have taken the knife and hidden it in the boot of his own car, Mr Storey said.