A MUSICIAN who fled the scene after an horrific collision in which a police motorcyclist died said he thought he was driving down a one way street.

Liron Shnaider, who denied dangerous driving, told Isleworth Crown Court he thought the motorcyclist, Christopher Dent, had been driving on the wrong side of the road in Teignmouth Gardens, Perivale.

Shnaider, 26, of Golders Green, who is also an art dealer and who claims to suffer from panic attacks, has admitted driving carelessly.

Mr Dent was travelling the other way on his Yamaha bike when he spotted Shnaider's Volkswagen Passat in the wrong lane, skidded and ploughed into him. He died almost instantly.

Shnaider told a packed court he had been confused after getting lost and taking the wrong exit off of the Hanger Lane gyratory.

He said this was compounded by unclear road signs and a sat-nav command to 'bear left in 0.3 miles', and did not realise his mistake until he saw the lights of the motorcycle.

He said: "I saw the bike coming towards me. At first I tried to swerve, to go to the left-hand lane - then I tried to fully stop the car and swerve as much as I could to the right-hand side.

"Then I saw the motorcyclist losing control of the motorbike before he fell off. It was dragging on the floor; he was trying to hold on to it and came away from it just before he hit the car."

The 37-year-old policeman, who was based with the Traffic Operational Command Unit (TOCU), had finished his shift and was making his way home on his own motorcycle, when he was killed at 9.30pm on April 22.

He was married with two children and had formerly served with the Royal Artillery and Thames Valley Police.

Shnaider said he went to get a jack from the boot but was told by a witness to wait for the emergency services. He said he was nervous and panicking and was told to go to the side of the road.

He said: "I was in complete shock - I was traumatised. I went to the other side of the road and the whole thing started to overwhelm me. I felt sick and I vomited."

In a panic he fled on foot, ignoring the pleas of his girl-friend and another friend to stay.

Shnaider told the court he wanted to leave to clear his thoughts and speak to his father for advice. He was later arrested at his home on suspicion of murder.

But prosecutor Lyal Thompson claimed this was an excuse and he had fled the scene to give him time to concoct a story to cover up his dangerous driving.

The hearing continues.