Chris Marriott murder accused drove in "unquestionably dangerous" manner but did not intend harm, jury told

Chris Marriott was in the process of offering assistance to a woman lying in the road of College Close, Burngreave, Sheffield, on the afternoon of December 27, 2023, when he was struck by a car, leaving him with fatal injuries.

Four others were also seriously injured in the collision, including midwife Alison Norris, who was also attempting to come to the aid of the injured woman - subsequently identified as Nafessa Jhangur.

Hassan Jhangur, aged 25, is currently on trial at Sheffield Crown Court accused of murdering Mr Marriott, and of causing grievous bodily harm to the four others injured, including his own mother and sister, Ambreen and Nafeesa Jhangur, respectively.

He also faces an attempted murder charge, relating to a stabbing alleged to have been carried out against Hasan Khan, Hassan Jhangur’s new brother-in-law, in the moments following the crash.

Prosecutors allege Hasan Khan was stabbed “multiple times to the head and to the body.”

Prosecutor, Jason Pitter KC, has previously told jurors that the wedding of Hasan Khan and Hassan Jhangur’s sister, Amaani Jhangur, which took place on the morning of the fatal incident, “appears to be the feud and the catalyst for the violence that was to occur.”

The Crown argue Hassan Jhangur, formerly of Whiteways Road, Grimesthorpe, Sheffield, used his Seat Ibiza vehicle “as a weapon” to commit the offences arising out of the crash.

He has previously entered not guilty pleas to charges of murder, along with the alternative charge of manslaughter, and grievous bodily harm.

He admits the less serious charges of causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving in relation to the crash, and grievous bodily harm in relation to the injuries sustained by Hasan Khan, but those pleas have been rejected by prosecutors.

Hassan Jhangur’s father, Mohammed Jhangur, has gone on trial alongside him, accused of concealing the knife used to stab Hasan Khan in the boot of his vehicle in a bid to prevent his son’s offending from being exposed.

Mohammed Jhangur, aged 57, of Whiteways Road, Grimesthorpe, Sheffield, denies one count of doing an act which had a tendency to pervert or interfere with the course of public justice.

Defence closing speeches

Hassan Jhangur

In his closing speech to jurors (Thursday, June 26, 2025), Richard Thyne KC, said his client, Hassan Jhangur, has already acknowledged through his guilty pleas that “the manner of his driving wasn’t just careless, wasn’t just unfocused, it fell well below the standard of a careful and competent driver.”

Mr Thyne added, however, that while Hassan Jhangur’s driving was “unquestionably dangerous” and had “tragic” consequences it does not mean he had the intention to cause really serious harm, which is required for it to equate to murder or manslaughter.

He told jurors they may find, after careful and critical analysis of the evidence provided, that the fatal collision was an “unintended consequence” of the dangerous driving Hassan Jhangur admits.

Continued Mr Thyne: “Even if you wouldn’t go that far to feel it is an unintended consequence of dangerous driving.

“If you can’t be sure it was a deliberate decision, that it was a deliberate collision, terrible though this incident was, then it wasn’t murder, it wasn’t manslaughter.”

He acknowledged jurors may feel they have heard from three groups of witnesses during the trial: the Jhangurs, the Khans and independent witnesses; and that some of those from the first two groups may have adopted a “partisan approach” to the evidence they have provided.

Mr Thyne said he was therefore going to focus on what independent witnesses have told the court.

Prosecutors allege Hassan Jhangur intentionally drove his vehicle into Riasat Khan, his sister’s new father-in-law, before going on to strike four others, including Mr Marriott.

Mr Thyne said the defence argue that independent evidence supports Hassan Jhangur’s assertion that he took the corner from Scott Road, coming into College Close, too quickly or “sharply”; and in doing so, led to the dangerous driving which caused the crash.

“In other words, this wasn’t a change in his driving when he saw someone in the road,” Mr Thyne told the jury.

He continued by saying one such independent witness, who was ill in bed in his home nearby at the time of the collision, has previously given evidence stating he believed the screech of the tyres he heard made him believe the driver was “taking the corner far too sharply, and at speed.”

Mr Thyne suggested the jury may find it was the dangerous driving - and not an intention to hit anyone - which led to “the events that followed in the next two to four seconds, ending in tragedy.”

The independent evidence, continued Mr Thyne, also supports their assertion that Hassan Jhangur appeared to be “in shock” in the immediate aftermath of the collision.

This includes the fact witnesses said he remained in the drivers’ seat, behind the wheel, “for a few moments” after the collision, and could subsequently be seen with his hands to his face repeatedly saying “that’s my sister,” referring to those injured by, and seemingly trapped underneath, his vehicle, said Mr Thyne.

He continued: “Are those the actions of a person in a rage, fired up, or are they the actions of a person in shock? Are they the actions of someone who has indiscriminately mowed someone down, intent on causing harm. Or someone who’s made a terrible error?”

Moving to Hassan Jhangur’s alleged attempt on the life of Hasan Khan, Mr Thyne said it is the defence case that his client was acting in lawful self defence, and is therefore their case that he is “not guilty of any offence” against him.

Detailing their basis for that claim, Mr Thyne said Hassan Jhangur was already present on the drive of the Khan family home, near to the scene of the crash, when “violence erupted” around him.

He added: “Hasan Khan was armed with a baseball bat…Hassan Jhangur had a reasonable belief he needed to defend himself.”

“If Hasan Khan turned up with his fists that would have been one thing.

“If you thought they were going to be struck with a bat, coming under attack from others, you might have used a weapon.

“He shouldn’t have brought a knife to the scene, of course he shouldn’t, but what might have happened to him if he didn’t,” asked Mr Thyne.

Mr Thyne also acknowledged that prosecutors dispute the suggestion Hasan Khan armed himself with a baseball bat.

Mohammed Jhangur

Representing Mohammed Jhangur, Richard Adams told jurors his client asserts that he put the knife in his boot, in order to “avoid the risk it might be used.”

Outlining the reasons why jurors may consider that to be a valid claim, Mr Adams said Mohammed Jhangur had just observed four people at the scene of the crash being “covered in blood.” Mohammed Jhangur had witnessed a total of six casualties since he received the call suggesting his daughter had just been assaulted, which led to his presence on the scene.

Mr Adams said other witnesses have described a chaotic scene on the street, involving “shouting and screaming,” confusion and individuals armed with weapons.

“The knife had blood on it. It follows, does it not, that he may have concluded that the knife had already been used,” said Mr Adams.

He accepted there was “no question” Mohammed Jhangur has lied on a number of occasions about putting the knife in the boot of his car.

Mr Adams told jurors that when Mohammed Jhangur made a “spontaneous and instantaneous” decision to lie about his decision to put the knife in his car, he had been erroneously arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and was in the midst of an “extreme situation.” He also believed his daughter had been killed, and his wife had been seriously injured in the incident.

“He lied in circumstances at the scene that could hardly have been predicted. He arrives at the scene of carnage. Family members covered in blood. His son’s car on top of people, his daughter no less. While trying to absorb all of that, he’s arrested for something very serious,” said Mr Adams.

He added: “We can’t help but wonder if that hadn’t happened, what the defendant would have said if he hadn’t been a murder suspect and had been arrested on suspicious of perverting the course of public justice.”

Mohammed Jhangur continued to maintain his lies and denials in subsequent police interviews, but has now accepted his previous dishonesty.

Mr Adams said he continues to find it difficult to accept he has lied.

Prosecution closing speech

In his closing speech, Mr Pitter told jurors that Hassan Jhangur’s evidence that he “lost it” was perhaps of greater “significance” than he realised.

“It led him to behave in that terrible way afterwards,” continued Mr Pitter.

Having “lost it,” said Mr Pitter, Hassan Jhangur went on to use his “vehicle as a weapon,” running over Riasat Khan, before hitting and running over others, including Mr Marriott and Ms Norris.

Mr Pitter claimed Hassan Jhangur was not acting in self-defence when he stabbed his sister’s new husband, Hasan Khan, four times, leaving him with injuries including a fractured jaw.

“That behaviour was not reasonable, wasn’t lawful. For he intended to kill Hasan Khan. Why else would you act in that way?”

Referring to the Crown’s case against Mohammed Jhangur, Mr Pitter said: “In protecting his family members, his son, in this partisan battle, Mohammed Jhangur hid the knife in his car.”

“In short, members of the jury, you can be sure that both men are guilty, as the prosecution allege.”

The judge, Mr Justice Morris, has now sent the jury home until Tuesday (July 1, 2025), when he will begin his summing up of the evidence heard during the trial. The jury are expected to be sent out to consider their verdicts midway through next week.

The trial continues.