A man was crushed to death beneath the wheels of a bus on the same day he was due to move in with his long-term girlfriend, the Old Bailey heard today.

Sam Harding was 25 years old when he was killed after colliding with a 153 bus on Holloway Road, Holloway, in August last year.

Kenan Aydogdu, 32, of Crossways Road, Surrey, denies manslaughter.

Mr Harding, of Stroud Green Road, Finsbury Park, worked for an online travel firm and was heading south on Holloway Road on the way to his girlfriend’s home when the collision occurred.

Bobbie Cheema, prosecuting, said: “He was cycling quite legitimately in the bus lane and there was a bus travelling far behind him.

“The defendant had driven down that road before Sam Harding was on it and as he approached on his bike the defendant was sitting in his parked car along the side of the bus lane.

“Passengers on the bus saw the defendant open his car door into the path of the cyclist.

“Sam Harding collided with the open door and he was flung under the bus coming after him.

“He died because the bus ran over him and crushed him to death.” Aydogdu told police he only opened the door a little way and checked over his shoulder to see if anyone was coming.

He claims Mr Harding had lost control of his bike and he couldn’t be sure if he collided with the bus or the car door first.

The jury was also asked to consider whether the tinted windows, which Aydogdu had arranged to have fitted on his Audi shortly after he bought it, could have been detrimental to his ability to look out of the window.

Miss Cheama said: “The issue in the case is whether the defendant did just open his car door a little to see if it was safe to open it fully, or whether he opened it fully in one go without checking whether it was safe.”

The trial continues.