Millionaire Qatari businessman, 41, who ‘killed pedestrian, 66, with his purple £250,000 Rolls-Royce Wraith near Buckingham Palace’ denies causing death by careless driving
- Hassan Nasser Al-Thani appeared at Old Bailey via video link from Doha, Qatar
- The 41-year-old has denied causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving
- Charles Roberts, 66, died after being struck by Al-Thani’s Rolls-Royce in London
- Al-Thani questioned at scene at Hyde Park Corner in 2019 and was later charged
A millionaire Qatari businessman today denied causing the death of a pedestrian in a £250,000 Rolls-Royce near Buckingham Palace.
Hassan Nasser Al-Thani, 41, collided with 66-year-old Charles Roberts while driving the purple Rolls-Royce Wraith around Hyde Park Corner, it is said.
He stopped and was charged with causing the death of Mr Roberts in the early hours of August 22, 2019.
Hassan Nasser Al-Thani (left) appeared via video link from Qatar, where he denied causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving after Charles Roberts (right) was killed in 2019
Mr Roberts, from Harpenden, Herts, died at the scene of the crash on Duke of Wellington Place while the Rolls Royce was left with a large crack on the windscreen.
Al-Thani appeared at the Old Bailey today via video-link from Doha, the capital of Qatar.
Assisted by an interpreter, he denied causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving.
Paul Edwards, defending said: ‘I have had an issue with seeing Mr Al-Thani face to face, in light of the fact that Qatar is on the red list for Covid.
‘It went on the list on 19 March.’
Mr Edwards added: ‘We are hoping with the announcement of the government this week with the safe countries to meet the defendant in a third country.’
A purple Rolls-Royce car was seen inside the cordon following the crash in August 2019
The location of the crash involving the Rolls Royce at Hyde Park Corner in central London
The court was told Al-Thani’s defence team will be preparing a reconstruction of the accident to show the jury.
Al-Thani, who has a luxury apartment near Hyde Park on Prince of Wales Terrace, denies causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving.
He was bailed ahead of his trial at the Old Bailey on March 28 next year.
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