Drug dealer accused of robbing guns takes to the stand

Zainul Abideen James, 24, of Albert Terrace, Deepdale, Preston, was cross examined in the witness stand by the defence lawyer of his co-defendant Scott Peters, 26, of Harbour Lane, Preston.

James, Peters and Dean McGrath, 25, of no fixed abode, deny carrying out a robbery at the victims’ home in which a cache of firearms were stolen from a safe, with ammunition, cash and jewellery.

It is alleged a mum and her children were tied up at the house during the incident on February 11, 2014..

Peters used to work for the family.

Grilled by Peter’s defence team about the day before the robbery, James revealed he had “five or six” people who held money for him, and that among the people recruited to work for him were a 17-year-old college student he called “Little Duncan” and a mum-of-three from Deepdale with a baby.

He was quizzed over telephone evidence which showed he and Peters exchanged texts and calls on February 10.

The barrister suggested he had wanted Peters to meet another man involved in the court case, and said: “ You were stringing Scott Peters around because you wanted him to meet him that night.

“In fact, was the plan actually for him to take you up that night until that was stopped by the presence of his female friend?”

He replied: “No, no, no.” (proceeding)