A jury has heard how a takeaway boss was robbed of his car at knifepoint after delivering food to a house in Carlisle.
The man was returning from a drop-off to a customer at Briar Bank, between 10pm and 10.30pm on August 23 last year, and went to the front passenger side of his Mercedes to clear some items from the footwell.
As he looked into his vehicle, an unknown male got into the driver’s seat making the owner believe initially that it was a joke or prank by his colleagues, the city’s crown court heard this afternoon.
The man — his face covered — was asked to leave but didn’t.
“A second male got into the rear of the vehicle. He was armed with a knife,” said prosecutor Kim Whittlestone, opening the case.
That second man threatened to stab the owner who was left standing and dialled 999 after the vehicle was driven away erratically, crashed and dumped in the area of Dene Crescent.
“As he swung the knife I kind of pushed myself out of the car,” the takeaway owner told jurors while giving evidence. “At that present moment I was in shock.”
As police responded, a PC saw a white man — topless and wearing shorts — run from Dene Crescent. The officer gave chase and never lost sight of a man the prosecution allege was 31-year-old Tjay O’Neil, who went into an address on Briar Bank.
The officer went in, saw the male sat on a sofa and he was arrested on suspicion of robbery. In a first interview, O’Neil denied leaving the address that evening.
When the Mercedes was forensically examined, DNA recovered from the steering wheel was matched to O’Neil, who was interviewed again. After taking a break, O’Neil told police he had been out in Carlisle that evening.
While walking home, he said he found the abandoned vehicle and lent in to search for money, suggesting that was how his DNA would be present inside.
“The prosecution say, having been confronted with the DNA (evidence) has lied to the police and will be lying to you during the course of this trial,” alleged Miss Whittlestone.
O’Neil, of Briar Bank, Carlisle, denies one charge which alleges robbery, and the trial continues.
