A police officer told a court she saw a colleague punch Robin Goodenough's head before he died.

Pc Julia Tuhill was part of a group of officers in a van patrolling Oxford when they came across Mr Goodenough, 26, driving his sister Susan Williams's Vauxhall Astra in September 2003 and stopped him.

She told the Old Bailey, in London, yesterday that she saw "distraction blows" strike Mr Goodenough's head.

She said: "I saw officers trying to remove him (Mr Goodenough). He appeared to be resisting the officers.

"He was tensed up and seemed to be holding on to something, but I couldn't see what."

A police statement given by Pc Tuhill was read to jurors, stating: "He looked like he was grabbing hold of the seat with his hand. I saw an officer punch him in the head twice."

She told the court the punches were jabs and by jabs she meant distraction blows.

Pc Tuhill saw Mr Goodenough on the pavement with blood on his face and on the ground. Minutes later, she heard that Mr Goodenough was "10/10" -- the police code for dead.

The court previously heard that Mr Goodenough, who did not have a licence, was driving his sister and her boyfriend Andrew Swadling in the Astra when it was stopped by police in Alma Place. Mr Goodenough had been on his way home to Barton.

It is alleged that he was dragged from the car, punched and handcuffed by Pcs Robin Shane, 31, John Shatford, 32, and Paul Summerville, 25.

All three officers deny charges of unlawful killing and assault causing actual bodily harm.

Pc Tuhill said she had helped Miss Williams out of the back of the Astra when it was stopped by police and saw colleagues help Mr Swadling out. It was then that she saw officers trying to remove Mr Goodenough, who was asthmatic.

She asked Miss Williams what her brother had been doing that evening and said his sister replied: "He doesn't do drugs, he has just had gas."

The case continues.