Footage showing the moment former world boxing champion Amir Khan was robbed at gunpoint for his £70,000 diamond-encrusted watch has been shown in court.
The 2004 Olympic silver medallist, 36, was targeted as he and his wife, Faryal Makhdoom, 31, left the Sahara Grill restaurant in Leyton, east London, on April 18 last year.
Snaresbrook Crown Court heard how Khan was forced to hand over his bespoke rose gold diamond-encrusted Franck Muller watch, worth between £60,000 to £70,000, by gunman Dante Campbell, 20.
Khan, who was a unified world champion at light-welterweight, said he looked into the handgun’s barrel when the armed robber pointed the weapon in his face and told him: “Take off the watch.”
I'm a sportsman, I'm a fighter. I have always been put in the toughest situations when I go into the ring and fight someone, but this was totally different, very, very scary— Amir Khan
The robbery, which lasted just seconds, was captured on CCTV played to the jury trying Ismail Mohamed, 24, Ahmed Bana, 25, and Nurul Amin, 25, who all deny they were involved.
Khan, who currently lives in Dubai, is seen smiling, with a blue sweater draped over his shoulders as he leaves the restaurant with his wife.
The couple, who star in BBC 3 reality television show Meet The Khans, cross the road towards a waiting car, driven by the sportsman’s friend, Omar Khalid, while two robbers get out of a silver Mercedes coupe parked in front.
As Khan goes to open the passenger-side door, a hooded man jogs towards him, raising his right arm to point the gun at the Bolton-born boxer, who hands over his watch.
The robbers then run off back to the Mercedes, which drives off, as members of the public rush towards Khan.
Khan, who retired last year with a professional record of 34 wins from his 40 fights, earlier told jurors his wife was left “screaming and crying” following the robbery.
“(I was) really scared. I have got three kids, my wife was next to me as well.
“(I was) really, really scared,” he told the jury.
“I’m a sportsman, I’m a fighter. I have always been put in the toughest situations when I go into the ring and fight someone, but this was totally different, very, very scary.”
Mohamed, from Edmonton, Bana, from Tottenham and Amin, from Harringay, which are all in north London, deny conspiracy to rob.
Bana also denies possessing an imitation firearm.
The gunman, Campbell, from Hornsey, also in north London, has pleaded guilty to the charges, the jury has been told.
Bana is alleged to have been the driver of the silver Mercedes, which dropped Campbell and another unknown robber at the scene before serving as the getaway vehicle.
Amin and Mohamed, along with another man who is not on trial, are said to have acted as “spotters” – dining in the restaurant to keep track of Mr Khan’s movements and relay them by phone to Bana.
The trial continues.
