A man charged with threatening his former girlfriend with a power drill told police he was going to use it to steal car number plates, a jury heard.

Andrew Richardson, of The Phelps, Kidlington, denies one count of false imprisonment at Oxford Crown Court.

The 37-year-old is accused of getting into his ex-partner Jessica Williams’s car and forcing her to drive him on February 17.

Jonathan Stone, prosecuting, yesterday said Richardson told police the drill was “to undo number plates, to steal number plates and stick them on her car, and go and fill up without paying”.

Richardson also told them: “There is no way I would ever harm her.”

The trial continues.