A London Uber driver spat at traffic marshal before running him over, a court hears

An Uber driver spat at a building site traffic marshal before running him over, a court heard.

Kamele Nourine, 48, allegedly assaulted Augustine Omokwale after he was told he could not park near a construction site on Winsland Mews, Paddingon, on 15 August 2018.

He drove at Mr Omokwale, sending him flying across his Toyota Prius’ bonnet, Southwark Crown Court heard.

Mr Omokwale was working as a traffic marshal near a traffic site to ensure the traffic of ambulances to nearby St Mary’s Hospital, the court heard.

‘Just before 11 o’clock that morning, a white Toyota Prius, an Uber, pulled up and was effectively stopping in a place where it shouldn’t have been stopping,’ said Karl Volz, prosecuting.

‘Mr Omokwale approached the car and asked the driver to move on.

‘He told the driver he couldn’t park there, the driver replied “give me a ticket",’ said Mr Volz.

Jurors were told the two men then came to a ‘stand off’, with construction site manager Danny Mercer becoming involved.

Nourine eventually agreed to move his car, telling Mr Mercer ‘you are a good man’ and Mr Omokwale ‘you are stupid’, it is said.

‘The prosecution say that this defendant spat at Mr Omokwale through the open window before driving off,’ said Mr Volz.

What Nourise didn’t realise was that the road was a U-Turn meaning Mr Omokwale was able to head him off, it is said.

‘Mr Omokwale was pretty upset, ran over, and stood in the middle of the road waving for the Prius to stop.

‘In fact, he didn’t stop. He kept driving at some speed hitting him square on the leg resulting in him getting to the bonnet of the Prius, driving for a short distance.

‘He had to hold on to the windshield wiper but it snapped off throwing him to the ground,’ said the prosecutor.

Mr Omokwale was left with scrapes and bruises to his leg and arm and a broken tooth, the court heard.

The confrontation was witnessed from the back seat of the Uber by a father and his daughters aged six and eight, who were left ‘shaken’.

Later that day Nourine went to Charring Cross police station to make a complaint against the alleged victim.

‘He does this, we say, to make a preemptive complaint.

‘He realised he had done something wrong, but then he claims he had been attacked, had been spat at, and his windscreen wipers deliberately broken,’ said the prosecutor.

Nourine denies assault occasioning actual bodily harm and dangerous driving.

The trial continues.