TWO would-be robbers attacked a petrol station owner with a metal bar in a bid to steal CCTV footage following the murder of a man in a Bradford street, it is alleged.

Ilyas Umarji told Bradford Crown Court today that the masked youths shouted: “Give us the footage,” and broke items with the bar before running out of Whitehall Service Station in Whitehall Road, Birkenshaw, Bradford, when he picked up a stool to defend himself.

Mr Umarji said one of the youths had “motioned towards him” with the long metal bar before striking him on the shoulder with it.

AS IT HAPPENED: Live blog on Day 4 of the Bradford Moor murder trial from Bradford Crown Court

It is alleged they were attempting to rob the CCTV footage from the petrol station kiosk after Mohammed Nisar Khan and Tony Grant stopped there to refuel a silver Kia Sedona an hour before the killing of Amriz Iqbal.

The jury has seen CCTV footage of Khan, known as Meggy, and Grant, nicknamed Granty, at the petrol station at about noon on Wednesday, October 3, last year.

At shortly after 1pm, Mr Iqbal, 40, a father of three, of Curzon Road, Bradford Moor, was struck by the Kia Sedona and fatally injured.

His friend, Adnan Ahmed, was also hit by the vehicle in Sandford Road, Bradford Moor, but not seriously injured.

It is the Crown’s case that the Kia Sedona was deliberately driven at Mr Iqbal and Mr Ahmed by Mohammed Nisar Khan, with Grant in the passenger seat.

Khan, 41, of Holme Lane, Tong, Bradford, and Grant, 39, of Queens Road, Bradford, deny murdering Mr Iqbal and attempting to murder Mr Ahmed.

They also deny conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, along with Salman Ismail, 31, of Hollin Road, Shipley, and Nadeem Khan, 35, of Gledhow Wood Road, Roundhay, Leeds.

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It is alleged that Nadeem Khan removed details of the Kia Sedona, that was insured in his name, from the Motor Insurance Database shortly after the fatal collision.

The court today saw body camera footage of Nadeem Khan telling police he had sold the car but had kept it on his trade insurance policy.

Ismail is said to be involved with an arson attack at the Whitehall Service Station and the robbery attempt.

The jury has seen CCTV footage of two males attempting to set the petrol station kiosk on fire. There is a flash of light before they flee the scene at 11pm on October 3.

Mr Umarji said he discovered the arson attack when he arrived for work at 7am the following morning. There was a large hole in the rear window of the kiosk that was blackened as if damaged by fire. Inside the building, there was charring and a strong chemical smell.

He told the court that at 12.30pm that day, two youths arrived on the petrol station forecourt on a scooter. They peered through the window for a few seconds and rode off, before returning about 50 minutes later.

Mr Umarji, who was on duty alone, was then confronted by the pair demanding the CCTV footage.

He said although they were hooded and masked, he could see they were young white males. He believed he might have seen them refuelling a vehicle at the petrol station on an earlier occasion.

Ismail’s barrister, Rodney Ferm, put it to Mr Umarji that the would-be robbers might have wanted to get their hands on the CCTV equipment before raiding cash from the till.

Mr Umarji said he could not rule that out.

Eye-witness Nigel Jones was on the petrol station forecourt when he saw a youth attacking Mr Umarji with a metal bar.

In a statement read to the jury, he told how he intervened to help Mr Umarji and chased after one of the youths. Both were fleeing the scene on foot, leaving the scooter behind.

Mr Jones got within two feet of the youth with the metal bar when he held it up as if to hit him.

He said both youths were hooded and their faces were covered, with just their eyes showing.

The jury has been told that Mr Iqbal died of a severe, unsurvivable, blunt force head injury. He suffered a major impact to the front of his head consistent with being hit by a vehicle and propelled on to an unyielding surface, such as the ground or a tree.

The court heard he could have been struck to the leg with one or more blunt objects while lying on the ground.

The trial continues on Tuesday.