A MAN accused of threatening to shoot a shop assistant yesterday told a jury he had not committed the early morning raid on a news-agents.

Leslie Mohammed, 33, of Queen Street, South Bank, Middlesbrough, is standing trial at Teesside Crown Court on charges of robbery and carrying an imitation firearm with intent.

Mr Mohammed denies both charges. The court heard that he told police he would have been in bed when the 5.30am robbery was being committed. Yesterday, Mr Mohammed said that he had gone to a friend's house on the night before the robbery at a South Bank shop on September 13 last year.

He stayed there, he said, from 7pm that night and did not leave the house until 9.30am the following morning. Mr Mohammed said he had not robbed the shop or shop assistant Matthew Shippey, and did not know why he would say that he did.

The jury previously heard from David Brooke, prosecuting, that Mr Shippey was working at Gray's News-agents when he saw a man in the shop with what looked like a gun, but it was not known whether it was a real weapon or imitation.

He said the man, who the prosecution claims was Mr Mohammed, told the assistant to "put the money in the bag" before threatening to shoot him. A total of £65 in cash and 30 packets of cigarettes were handed over.

The jury is expected to retire to consider its verdict later today.