A MAN on trial accused of a knife-point robbery has told a jury he could have been mistaken for his cousin.
Colum Flaherty, of Brome Place, Barton, Oxford, who gave evidence at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, denies carrying out the robbery on April 17 last year.
Jenny Burgess, prosecuting, said Flaherty had stolen £240 from takeaway delivery man Waleed Rahmati after pointing a knife at him in Brome Place.
She told the jury a fake order had been placed with the Panda House takeaway in Cowley and when Mr Rahmati arrived to deliver the food he was robbed.
Giving evidence, however, Flaherty maintained he had not carried out the crime and said he could have been mistaken for his cousin, also called Colum Flaherty.
Cross examining the defendant Miss Burgess asked: “Why is it you never raised that with the police?”
Flaherty replied: “I didn’t need to. I was being asked questions about myself. I’m here to prove my innocence not to talk about other people.”
Miss Burgess said: “You have been mistakenly identified and you don’t feel the need to point to someone else who you might have been confused with?”
Flaherty told her: “No.”
The barrister asked him why he had decided to tell the court now.
Flaherty said: “It just came up. I was nervous and I was talking the truth.”
The trial will resume today.
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