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THE father of a man accused of robbery and possession of an imitation firearm told a court a gun shown in evidence did not belong to his son.

He also said he saw no evidence his son ever used crack cocaine.

Lee Wilson, 21, of Curzon Avenue, Tylers Green, is accused of robbing the same Threshers in School Road, Penn three times as well as the Esso petrol station at Hazlemere cross roads, last July.

He is suspected of committing the crimes with David Gilchrist, 26, of Rushmoor Avenue, Hazlemere, who has pleaded guilty to similar charges of robbery and possession of an imitation firearm.

Gilchrist gave evidence saying the robberies were committed to fund their crack cocaine habits.

Wilson's father Graham Wilson, told Reading Crown Court his son worked with him at a removal company firm. The court heard evidence from time sheets that Wilson may not have been at work when the robberies took place Mr Wilson admitted to finding a gas powered BB gun in his son's bedroom around four months before the crimes.

He said: "I didn't discuss it with him, I was waiting for him to discuss it with me."

But he claimed this gun, which he described as having an all silver barrel, was different to the silver and black barrelled pistol shown to jurors.

Mr Wilson also said he never noticed signs of hard drug abuse in his son, such as "tiredness" or "inability to cope" at work. He added that the only illegal drug taken by his son was "weed".

Prosecutor Simon Heptonstall suggested Wilson knew what his father's reaction would be, if he was caught using hard drugs.

Mr Wilson admitted: "If I knew I'd just go up the wall."

Gilchrist has admitted carrying out three of the four hold ups himself, and said Wilson committed the second Threshers robbery on July 10.

Max Moore, then manager of the Threshers, confirmed a different man had carried out the July 10 robbery.

Wilson's mother Lorraine said none of Wilson's clothes matched the description of this second man, who was wearing a dark brown hoodie during the hold up.

She confirmed that his hooded tops were either blue or white. She said: "He has not got any brown hoodie whatsoever."

But Mrs Wilson said she had found a blue box containing two gas canisters and ball bearings in wilson's bedroom on the day he was arrested.

She also said Wilson's gun was different to the one shown in court.

The trial continues.

10:54am Thursday 24th July 2008

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