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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Sam Elliott-Gibbs

Amir Khan feared his kids would 'grow up without a dad' while being robbed at gunpoint

Petrified Amir Khan says he feared he was about to be shot dead after opening up his gun robbery terror.

The boxer feared his children would grow up fatherless after having the weapon pointed at his face in London last year.

Khan was targeted as he and his wife Faryal Makhdoom, 31, left Sahara Grill restaurant in Leyton, East London, on April 18.

Two men have been convicted of robbing the sports star for his £70,000 diamond-encrusted watch at gunpoint last year.

Dante Campbell, 20, and Ahmed Bana, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob and possession of an imitation firearm.

Amir Khan feared his kids would have to live without their father (Collect Unknown)
The boxer and his wife Faryal Makhdoom say they now prefer to live away from the UK (Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal)

Following the verdict, the star has been speaking about the trauma.

Khan says he thought the bullet was coming and turned his head as he couldn't face what was coming.

“In that moment, you think the worst - that the kids could be growing up without their dad, that Faryal would be raising them on her own," he told The Sun on Sunday.

“Your life flashes before your eyes. I leant my head to the right because I thought, if he is going to shoot me, he can shoot the side of my head.

Amir Khan's watch was stolen as he returned to his car in April 2022 (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

"I don’t want to see the bullet coming.”

His wife ran into the road and screamed for help during the attack and said: “I thought we were going to die on the spot.”

The robbers fled in their car seconds after grabbing the timepiece.

His watch still has not been found.

Dante Campbell thrust the weapon in Amir Khan's face and demanded his watch (Met Police)
Ahmed Bana acted as the getaway driver (Met Police)

Khan had been posing for pictures with fans before the attackers approached.

As he neared his car he was set upon by Campbell, who pointed a gun in his face and shouted “take off the watch”.

Following the theft of the bespoke Franck Muller Vanguard Chronograph, the Met Police launched an investigation and eventually tracked down the pair.

Detective Constable Stuart Ponder, from the Met’s Flying Squad, said: “This robbery was carefully planned and executed by these individuals who knew exactly who they were targeting and what they were aiming for.

His £70,000 diamond-encrusted watch stolen at gunpoint last year is still missing (PA)
The sports star was shaken by the attack (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

“Despite being on a busy street with other members of the public close by, they had no qualms about brandishing a firearm and threatening Mr Khan with the most brazen and extreme level of violence.

“We know every robbery has a significant impact on the victim and Mr Khan has spoken out about the impact this had, not only on him but his family.

“That is why we are doing everything we can to target individuals who think they can get away with this type of behaviour, from extra patrols at known robbery hotspots and developing intelligence on those carrying out these crimes.

A screengrab from CCTV of last year's robbery (A screengrab from CCTV of last year's robbery)

“Anyone who is a victim of a robbery should report it as soon as possible – this helps us ascertain crucial forensic evidence to take these violent criminals off our streets.”

Campbell and Bana were arrested as part of a planned operation in the early hours of 22 June 2022.

Clothing and a backpack matching what was worn by the gunman on CCTV was found in Campbell’s bedroom.

The pair will be sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court at a later date.

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