A FLORIST and second-hand car salesman has insisted he had no idea his business associate had taken part in a £185,000 post office raid before he agreed to give him a lift.

Avaiz Samad, 22, is on trial at Burnley Crown Court accused of being the getaway driver in a ‘staged’ heist at Rishton Post Office in June 2015.

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But Samad, of Blackpool Road, Ashton-on-Ribble, told jurors one of the robbers, Jason Yarwood, was a friend, and his brother Terry, had a share in his car sales firm.

He has maintained he gave the Yarwoods a lift from Rishton to Preston after they had been carrying out building work locally.

Cross-examined by his counsel, Ricky Holland, he told the court he had repeated mobile phone contact with Terry Yarwood through business dealings.

Prosecutor Tim Brennand questioned why Terry Yarwood, who claimed he had ‘van problems’ on the day of the robbery, could not have borrowed a car from their garage, instead of asking for a lift.

Samad said not all of their vehicles were taxed or had MOTs, and they had no trade plates.