A MAN accused of a baseball attack when trouble erupted at a Burnley "drugs den," told a jury he was not there.

Former addict Anwar Khan, 26, said he had never been inside the Friendly - an Asian meeting place on New Hall Street - but had previously been with a friend who wanted to buy cannabis.

Khan claimed a prosecution witness in the case had since threatened to kill him, his community had been in fear over what was happening, and he had tried to set up a meeting with the local "head of police."

The defendant, in the dock alongside two of his four brothers and another man, was the first to give evidence on the second week of a trial at Burnley Crown Court.

Anwar Khan, Hussain Khan, 24, both of Kent Street, and Dawood Khan, 38, of Canning Street, all Burnley, together with Zahir Khan, 27, no relation, of Clive Street, all deny violent disorder, last January 11.

Anwar and Hussain Khan also plead not guilty to robbery, Anwar and Dawood each deny separate allegations of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and Anwar further denies witness intimidation on February 2. Dawood in addition pleads not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The prosecution has alleged Anwar, who had been barred from the youth club, turned up, reluctantly left, later returned and hit alleged victim Mahmood Akbar hard on his head with a baseball bat.

Hussain was then said to have tried to strike Mr Akbar with a hammer and Dawood allegedly stabbed him in the chest with a kitchen knife.

Questioned by his barrister Ken Hind, Anwar Khan said he had used drugs in the past but it had been almost seven years since he had anything to do with them. Khan said he would urge anybody trying to overcome addiction to have the willpower to kill their desire for drugs.

The defendant, who said he normally prayed five times a day, said the night of the alleged January offences he had been to a snooker hall, went to his parents' home, then to a video shop and then went back home to Kent Street.

He said he did not see his brothers Hussain and Dawood that night and did not see Nadeem Gulzar who is accused of robbing. Khan said he did not go to the Friendly.

The defendant said after the alleged offences on January 11, the police went to his house and took away clothing from his bedroom, his father's hammer and a knife from the kitchen. Khan said he did not later threaten anybody and did not have a knife in his car.

Khan claimed prosecution witnesses had since tried to intimidate him several times. He alleged in June, two cars stopped in front of him and a witness pulled a knife and said he was going to kill him.

The defendant said he had made complaints to the police. He told the court he had been to his local councillor and arranged for a meeting with the "head," of the police. Khan claimed he, his father, a councillor and a few mosque elders turned up at the police station.

Khan, who said his local community had been frightened and did not want to get involved, went on :"Instead of the head of police we had a meeting with the local beat officer."

Proceeding