‘Spotters’ watched Amir Khan before robbing £72k Watch

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that ‘spotters’ watched Amir Khan dine in a restaurant before he was robbed of his £72,000 diamond-encrusted watch at gunpoint as he left.

The former boxing world champion dined at the Sahara Grill in Leyton, east London, with his wife Faryal Makhdoom and friend Omar Khalid on April 18, 2022.

But as he left, he was targeted for his Franck Muller Vanguard Chronograph watch.

An armed robber ran at Amir and yelled at him to “take off the watch”.

Ahmed Bana, Nurul Amin and Ismail Mohammed, all aged 25, deny conspiracy to commit robbery while jurors heard Dante Campbell, aged 21, has previously admitted to being the gunman.

After the robbery, Campbell jumped into a silver Mercedes, allegedly driven by Bana.

CCTV footage showed the couple and Mr Khalid dining at the restaurant.

Amin and Mohammed were said to be ‘spotters’, sitting at a table just a few feet away and watching the group eat.

Mohammed takes a phone call at one stage, with records suggesting it was from Bana.

As the group left, Amir Khan stopped to greet some people outside the restaurant.

CCTV footage showed the retired boxer leaving the restaurant and the moment the gunman ran at him.

Campbell gets out of a Mercedes driven by Bana with an unknown male.

Prosecutor Philip Evans KC said: “You can see Campbell waving a gun at Mr Khan and his wife.

“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.”

Bana, of Hale Gardens, Tottenham, Amin, of Cavendish Road, Finsbury Park, and Mohammed, of Edmonton, all deny conspiracy to commit robbery.

Bana also denies having an imitation firearm.

Campbell, of Hornsey, all north London, earlier admitted possessing an imitation firearm.

Amir Khan’s watch had been specially commissioned for him and has not been recovered.

At the time, Amir tweeted: “Just had my watch taken off me at gunpoint in East London, Leyton.

“I crossed the road with Faryal, luckily she was a few steps behind me.

“Two men ran to me, he asked for my watch whilst having a gun pointed in my face. The main thing is we’re both safe.”

The trial continues with Amir Khan expected to give evidence on March 14, 2023.