A burglar fleeing police in a stolen car knocked down and killed a man unloading shopping, a court heard today.
Roberto Da Silva, 70, died instantly after becoming wedged between his vehicle and the VW Golf getaway car which had mounted the pavement.
Felix Fletcher, 39, had struck other vehicles and driven at speed and dangerously after police gave chase, the Old Bailey heard.
He drove at 70mph, ignored road signs and hit a car on a roundabout which then slammed into the police vehicle.
But after the police car was forced to stop, Fletcher allegedly continued to speed away and struck Mr Da Silva, said Deanna Heer, prosecuting.
Fletcher, of Collingwood Road, Hayes, west London, denies causing death by dangerous driving, theft of the Golf and burglary.
Miss Heer said the jury could consider an alternative count of allowing himself to be carried if it thought Fletcher was the passenger in the car.
Mr Da Silva, a retired mechanical engineer, died in Murray Avenue, Hayes, 15 minutes after a homeowner saw his car being stolen following a burglary, in February.
The homeowner dialled 999 and the car was immediately spotted by a passing police car which gave chase with its siren sounding and blue lights flashing.
"Instead of stopping, he accelerated and drove away at speed and dangerously before colliding with Mr De Silva," said Miss Heer.
After the crash, two men climbed out of the driver's side window of the Golf and ran away through rear gardens.
