A MAN on trial for robbery has told Newcastle Crown Court how he regularly bought drugs from the son of the victim.
Ben Derek Shields (30) of Berwick Lane, Ovingham, is accused of one count of robbery relating to an incident on August 8, 2018, in which David Brooks was punched multiple times and threatened with a screwdriver in his home.
Shields, who denied the charge, said he knew Mr Brooks' son, Andrew Brooks, at school and had regularly bought cannabis from him.
Andrew Brooks also gave evidence on Wednesday, when he denied having ever been a drug dealer.
A money tin in the property had Shields' fingerprints on it, making him the main suspect in the robbery – but Shields claimed the tin had been in Andrew Brooks' car when he had sold Shields cannabis around a week before the robbery took place.
Shields, who gave evidence in the trial on Thursday, also claimed that he would have been in bed at the time of the incident as he knew he would be taking his young son to nursery the following day.
The trial continues.
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