Taxi driver 'killed by drunk man'

Gian Chand Bajar died in hospital from his injuries

A drunk taxi passenger punched the driver and then ran him over with his own car, jurors have been told.

Luke Aujila, 21, of Dorchester Road, Gravesend, admitted the manslaughter of Gian Chand Bajar, 71, but denies murder at Maidstone Crown Court.

Prosecuting, Alan Kent said Mr Aujila had claimed he was "so drunk he could not see Mr Bajar on the ground".

But he told the court: "We say that his actions were deliberate." Mr Bajar died in hospital on the night of the attack.

'Advances snubbed'

On the morning of the killing, Mr Aujila became drunk and aggressive after attending the start of a three-day work course in Dartford, the court was told.

Jurors heard Mr Aujila had a confrontation with a man on an industrial estate, and was later described by a couple he knew as "not making much sense".

The court was told the defendant met a woman he vaguely knew and asked her for sex but she snubbed his advances and he smashed a glass on the ground.

And later, Mr Aujila was involved in a disturbance in at a block of flats where he startled a woman by banging on her window, the jury heard.

Mr Kent said the defendant was then picked up by Mr Bajar.

'Sped towards body'

The court heard an argument broke out, and Mr Aujila assaulted Mr Bajar - a father-of-five who "avoided conflict".

Jurors were told Mr Aujila, who lived with his parents, sped in the car towards Mr Bajar who lay injured in the road, making no effort to slow down or avoid his body, after he stole the silver Skoda Octavia.

Mr Kent said after the killing, the defendant drove the car into a service road near his home, where it was abandoned and set alight.

Jurors heard there were no witnesses to the initial assault on Mr Bajar, but there were other people who saw Mr Aujila behind the wheel of his taxi as it ran him over.

The self-employed taxi driver - a respected member of the local Sikh community - was tended to by residents in St Benedict's Avenue, who heard the commotion.

The case continues.