A TEENAGE student died after being mowed down by a Nelson motorist on a pelican crossing, a jury has heard.

Jonathan Roberts, 19, who was in his second year at Manchester Metropolitan University studying computer science, was hit by the speeding car when Sadakat Hussein went through a red light.

The car was then driven away from the scene of the tragedy and was later found burnt out in a bid to destroy forensic evidence, Manchester Crown Court heard. The 19-year-old driver was later quizzed by police about the accident and claimed he was "forced" to flee as he did because he was being chased under threat of being killed or seriously hurt.

But prosecutor Anthony Gee QC told the jury: "That did not give the defendant a proper, reasonable excuse for driving in the atrocious manner he did."

Hussein, of Beaufort Street, Nelson, had pleaded not guilty to causing the death by dangerous driving of Mr Roberts last March.

The jury heard the victim was with a group of pals waiting to cross Oxford Road, near the Manchester Royal Infirmary, when the lights on the pelican crossing turned red.

A bus stopped and as Mr Roberts led his friends across the road he was then struck by a Honda Prelude. Mr Gee added: "It was travelling at an excessive speed, at least 30-35mph at time of impact, if not a much greater speed."

The car was damaged in the accident but, said Mr Gee, the driver did not stop and it was later found deliberately burnt out.

He said Hussein did not report the accident but when quizzed by police claimed he was being chased by another car.

"But not even emergency vehicles going to some life-threatening incident could justify driving in that manner. There is nothing in law or in fact to excuse or justify him driving in the manner he did."

The trial continues.