The sister of Robin Goodenough has told a court how she saw a 'gloved hand' punch her brother before he died.

Susan Williams, sister of Robin Goodenough, who yesterday appeared in the trial of the three policemen charged with his manslaughterSusan Williams, 30, was in the back seat of her Vauxhall Astra which Mr Goodenough had been driving, before his death in September 2003.

Pcs Robin Shane, 32, Paul Summerville, 26, and John Shatford, 33, have denied unlawful killing and assault causing actual bodily harm and are standing trial at the Old Bailey in London.

Miss Williams told the court that her brother was planning to go home to Barton, Oxford, when they were spotted by police.

Miss Williams said: "When Robin noticed the police van, he got panicking and he started driving a little bit faster than he was doing to start with."

The court heard the police van chased the Astra into Alma Place, off Cowley Road, where the car stopped.

Miss Williams said that when police asked Mr Goodenough to get out of the car, he just sat there.

She said: "I couldn't see his hands, he wasn't moving them. He went to move forward and was told to get out and was punched back, then he got punched and pushed back in his seat again. The hand had a glove. Whoever it was was wearing gloves."

Miss Williams said she and her boyfriend, Andrew Swadling, who was also in the car, were also arrested and were placed in the police van.

She said: "Andrew was having a joke with the officers in the van, and the man, I think the same one who punched my brother, told him to shut up. He had a skinhead and I think he had ginger coloured hair."

Miss Williams and Mr Swadling were taken to St Aldate's police station, and was later told her 26-year-old brother was dead and she was released without charge.

Miss Williams said she had introduced her brother to butane gas in his early teens and he had been addicted to the substance since his late teens. She said he was also addicted to driving cars, although he had never had a driving licence.

Miss Williams said the Astra had been given to her so that she could pick up her boyfriend, Mr Swadling, from prison when he was released. She said a butane bottle found in the car belonged to Mr Swadling.

She said she knew Mr Goodenough would have been afraid of being caught by police and would have tried to escape from them if he was seen driving.

She was aware he was scared because he was in breach of a probation order for driving while disqualified and that if he was caught behind the wheel, he would have been sent back to prison where he had been bullied.

Thomas Sayers, of Alma Place, saw the incident from his bedroom window. He said: "I heard the screech of the cars and a siren. I saw a blue Astra. I heard and saw an officer approaching the driver's door of the car and telling the driver to get out. I recall hearing 'get out of the ******* car'".

He said he saw a police officer lean into the car. He added: "The driver was removed from the car by the officer, he was removed and thrown sideways to the ground in one movement. He would not have been able to stand up as he was getting out.

"I heard very strange noises, gutteral, like a groaning noise, which sounded very wrong."

Mr Sayers said he saw a police officer on a radio saying words to the effect of 'we have got them under control, we have got them out of the car'.

Mr Sayers said he had later told police that Mr Goodenough had been driving the car "like a nutter."

The trial continues.