Thug pointed gun in the face of boxer Amir Khan and shouted ‘take off your watch’ during terrifying armed robbery
14 March 2023, 09:11
Former boxing world champion Amir Khan had a gun pointed in his face as thugs demanded his diamond encrusted watch following a night out with his wife, a court has heard.
Mr Khan, 36, was leaving the Sahara Grill in Leyton, East London, with his wife Faryal Makhdoom, 31, and their friend Omar Khalid, on April 18 last year when the terrifying attack took place.
With thugs pointing the weapon in the Bolton-born boxer's face, the group then grabbed the £72,000 custom-made Franck Muller watch before pointing the weapon at Mr Khan’s friend.
Appearing in Snaresbrook Crown Court, Ahmed Bana, Nurul Amin and Ismail Mohammed, all 25, denied conspiracy to commit robbery.
A fourth suspect, Dante Campbell, 21, had previously admitted to being the gunman.
With Ms Makhdoom a few steps behind Mr Khan, the court heard how the criminals shouted "take off the watch" as part of the confrontation.
The court saw CCTV footage of "spotters" Amin and Mohammad sat at a nearby table in the same restaurant as the trio dined, at one point, showing Mohammad taking a call believed to be from Bana according to call records.
The gunman can be seen striding towards the light-welterweight boxer as he left the building.
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"You can see Campbell waving a gun at Mr Khan and his wife," said prosecutor Philip Evans, KC.
"The reason for dealing with the CCTV in such detail is that it forms the absolute centre of the evidence in this case.
"The robbery is caught on it. A number of details are caught on it."
Following the armed confrontation, Campbell is said to have escaped in a silver Mercedes, allegedly driven by Bana alongside a male passenger, whose identity remains unknown.
The court also heard how the distinctive, custom-made gold watch, encrusted in diamonds, has never been recovered.
Amin, of Cavendish Road, Finsbury Park, Bana, of Hale Gardens, Tottenham, and Mohammed, of Edmonton, all deny conspiracy to commit robbery.
Bana also denies carrying an imitation firearm.
Campbell, of Hornsey, all north London, earlier admitted possessing an imitation firearm.
