A MAN was threatened with a ‘Rambo-style knife’ during a robbery connected to an alleged drug dealing turf feud, a jury has been told.

Preston Crown Court heard how three balaclava-clad men burst into a house occupied by Alison Henderson and Stephen Mountain after being given a key to the property by a fifth man, Alec Harris.

It is alleged that to stop Mr Harris alerting the police or warning the couple about the raid, the robbers had taken him hostage and tied him up with a vacuum cleaner cord.

Prosecutor Peter Warne said hours before the robbery on November 29, Mr Harris had been at the property in Edmond Street, Darwen, with Mr Mountain and Ms Henderson.

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But Mr Harris had left to go to the house of defendant William Gorman, and the victims had given him a key so he could let himself back in.

The jury was told on the first day of the trial that Gorman, 40, had pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and two counts of robbery.

His co-accused Dominic Hugh McKenna, 38, Hazel Avenue, Darwen, and Roy Richard Connell, 41, Bolton Road, Darwen, have pleased not guilty to the same charges.

Opening the prosecution’s case, Mr Warne, said: “At 3.20am Ms Henderson and Mr Mountain heard a key at the door. They thought it was Alec Harris returning.

“It was in fact three men, who ran into the address. All their faces were covered with balaclavas. One was carrying a Rambo-style knife. Another was carrying a golf club.

“Mr Mountain was punched by one of the three men. A knife was then held towards him. A demand was made for £100. One of the men three men said he knew there was money in the house. They also said they knew there were drugs in the house. They accused the couple of being drug dealers and dealing drugs on their patch.”

When they failed to find drugs or a substantial amount of cash Mr Warne said the robbers stole £20, a large TV, bicycle and mobile phone.

During the trial the jury will be shown CCTV footage one of the men struggling with the large TV. Such was the extent of his struggle that two of the men had to get a taxi to Gorman’s house in Perry Street, while the third rode the bike there.

Once back in that area of Darwen the men were said to have stashed the stolen goods, balaclavas and weapons at a second address.

Mr Warne said that as soon as the robbers had left her house Ms Henderson rang the police and, having realised she had given a key to Mr Harris, told them to look for him.

Mr Warne said officers were sent to Perry Street but around 5am but they only saw the three defendants as Mr Harris was hiding in a wardrobe.

They found Mr Harris later that day at his father’s house and, as he named Gorman as one of the robbers and told officers where to find the stolen goods, he was treated as a witness.

Mr Warne said officers searched Gorman’s two addresses in Perry Street and found the stolen goods and Ms Henderson’s house key in the drain. They also found evidence of drug dealing, including a quantity of cannabis and a drug dealer’s tick list - detailing client names and the amounts they owed.

Defending McKenna, Keith Harrison, said his client had been at a party at Gorman’s house on the night of the robbery and had only left to get some cash from Ewood Petrol Station but left the property at no other time.

Mr Harrison said: “It’s his case he never took part in the robbery and as far as he is concerned Mr Haris was never held against his will.”

Defending Connell, Stuart Duke, said: “As far as my client is concerned the issue is a very simple one. It is one of identification. He has said from the start he didn’t participate in the robbery. The only evidence is a trace of his DNA on one of the balaclavas. It wasn’t just his DNA they found on that particular balaclava there was also two other peoples.”

(Proceeding)