A MAN’S birthday celebration turned into a nightmare as his pals were “deliberately” mowed down in the road next to him, a court heard.
Amaan Alyas was out with Umar Khan, Suel Delgado, Azaan Khan and Raja Zakir Khan (Zak) in Brighton to enjoy his 22nd birthday.
But Suel, aged 20, was killed in a horror crash, while Azaan and Zak were also struck and suffered devastating injuries in the alleged hit and run at 5.30am on December 1, 2019.
Iftekhar Khondaker is accused of Suel’s murder and the attempted murder of Azaan and Zak.
Hove Crown Court heard how Mr Alyas, 23, had gone out to enjoy his 22nd birthday with pals from Crawley.
After leaving the Shooshh nightclub on the seafront, a row and scuffles broke out with Khondaker, who was with his brother Irfan Khondaker and Umesh Ravinthan.
The two groups whipped each other with belts, and the Khondakers were apparently pursued along Grand Junction Road and past the pier.
Suel Delgado was ahead of his friends, and apparently caught up with Irfan and Iftekhar, who were “kicking and punching him” on the floor before being chased off.
Then as Suel’s group of five walked away, they heard the sound of an engine revving and were hit.
A black BMW driven by Iftekhar struck three of the group, then drove on. It was abandoned in Middle Street, Brighton, where Irfan contacted an Uber car to take them back to London.
Mr Alyas believed the fighting had stopped and was walking away. He was just feet away from the crash and saw his friends injured, and said the BMW veered towards his mates.
“It was so quick. The next thing I remember was seeing the big car. I remember hearing it as well.
“I heard a big bang then I saw them go in the air. Then the car drove off. I remember me being behind them.
“I heard the car, I could hear the speed of the acceleration. It all happened so quickly.
“As soon as I heard it, the next second it hit them. It went deliberately into them. I saw it come into the other side of the road, then it sped off.”
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Umar Khan, 23, who also saw the crash, said: “We heard the sound of the car going really fast, with the engine revving. As I turned around Suel had already been hit. I saw Zak jumping and being hit as well. We saw it hit Azaan then driving off again.
“Suel had been completely flattened onto the floor. Zak was fully knocked out as well. He had flipped over in the air three or four times before he dropped onto the floor.
“The car then drifted off after that. It was not going at high speed. It just went off.”
Previously Kate Lumsdon QC, prosecuting, told the court how the impact left the injured men and their belongings strewn across the street.
The BMW had reached speeds of up to 41mph as it hit the men, the court heard.
Ms Lumsdon said: “Umar Khan and Amaan Alyas reacted in horror and disbelief. Suel Delgado lay on the north pavement, bleeding profusely from the head. Zak Khan lay a short distance from him, he was coming in and out of consciousness. Azaan Khan was lying in the road, his shoes had come off from the impact.
“Amaan Alyas dialled 999 and told the operator to send police and an ambulance to the Sea Life Centre, which was opposite.
“He was crying and in shock. A taxi driver pulled over and took his phone from him to continue the call to the operator.”
Iftekhar Khondaker, 34, of Caithness Road, Mitcham, denies murder and two counts of attempted murder. His brother Irfan, 27, denies assisting an offender.
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