A 24-year-old man accused of being part of a gang which viciously attacked a demolition contractor in his office has denied that he was even in Bradford that day.

Bill Reidy had both his arms broken and suffered a suspected fractured skull in the hammer attack which took place on St Valentine's Day 1996.

The prosecution has alleged that Warren Nicholson was part of a gang of three men who travelled down from the North East to carry out the attack, but yesterday he told a jury at Bradford Crown Court that he had not been involved.

The court heard that Nicholson, who formerly lived in the West End area of Newcastle but is now of no fixed abode, did not answer any questions in police interviews on the advice of his solicitor.

But shortly before his trial began he submitted a notice of alibi to say that he was in Newcastle on the day of the attack.

But under cross-examination by prosecutor Colin Harvey, Nicholson was pressed about the fact that a defence witness would only say that he spoke to Nicholson in Newcastle at about 8.30pm that day.

''It's perfectly feasible to be in Bradford at 5.50pm and be back in Newcastle for 8 o'clock isn't it?'' asked Mr Harvey.

''It sometimes takes two and a half hours, sometimes three and a half. It depends on the traffic,'' replied Nicholson.

Mr Harvey suggested that Nicholson could then have stared ''putting himself about'' in the area so people could come forward to say they saw him.

''I wasn't there (in Bradford). It's as simply as that,'' Nicholson responded.

Nicholson has pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and the trial is expected to end tomorrow.

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