A MAN who denies causing a motorway crash which killed a City banker from Chorleywood and a taxi driver from Amersham told a court on Wednesday he had never lied about the accident.

Waqas Ahmed, 24, was driving from Denmark to Sheffield after visiting his family, when he allegedly reversed his unlit car along the UK's busiest motorway.

Banker Mrs May Ling McDougal, who headed the risk management team at the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi in London, was killed outright in the crash on the M25 on New Year's Eve 1998.

The 34-year-old from Berry Lane, was being driven home by 53-year-old cabbie Frank Jones from Amersham.

He was also killed when his Peugeot 405 taxi was squashed between two articulated lorries.

A Scania Tesco lorry and a Mercedes collided after Ahmed allegedly caused an earlier accident involving a car driven by Ms Claire Eyles, who suffered extensive facial injuries, which the lorries were trying to avoid.

Ahmed told police during an interview how he had pulled on to the hard shoulder because his rev counter was not working properly. Later investigation found the counter was not defective.

He said he had been looking for a torch when the accident happened.

In police interviews the defendant denied reversing on to the motorway so he could go back to a missed junction.

During the second day of giving evidence, after a two-day break due to a bereavement, Ahmed concluded he had no explanations for the anomalies in his evidence.

Under cross examination by Mr Jonathan Coode, prosecuting at Reading Crown Court, Ahmed said: 'I wish I made sense because if I did I wouldn't be asked these questions.

'I know it doesn't make sense, but that is what I remember.'

He denied being aware he was on a hill or incline.

He said he remembered putting on his handbrake, which was in the off position when the car was recovered.

He claimed he removed the rear bulbs from his Rover car at the scrap yard where it was taken after the accident because he wanted them for his Fiesta car.

Of the removal of the bulbs, Ahmed said: 'As far as I remember I didn't have to use any tools.

'It was very simple. It was very easy.'

Of the handbrake he said: 'As far as I can remember I did pull the handbrake up.

'I thought I had done all the secure things.

'I was not trying to do a reverse manoeuvre or roll the car back. I wish I had an explanation.

'My car did have lights on.

'I have been telling the truth. I have sworn on the Koran.'

Ahmed, from Sheffield, denies causing the death by dangerous driving of Mrs McDougal and Mr Jones.

The trial continues.