TWO men accused of robbing a takeaway driver of his night's takings told a jury yesterday they did not attack him.

Damien May, 23 of Glebe Street and Jamie Kent, 27, of Llewellin Street, gave evidence at Cardiff Crown Court about the early morning incident involving Amanj Ahmed, who worked for Newport Grill.

The defendants are both charged with robbery and criminal damage, relating to the incident on November 29, 2009.

The jury heard Kent has admitted criminal damage on the victim's car, but the pair deny the remaining charges.

Throughout the trial, the court heard how Mr Ahmed was making a delivery to a house on Sycamore Avenue, Newport, when he was approached by three men, alleged to be the defendants and a third unnamed man.

Giving evidence to his defence barrister Stephen Thomas, May said he left the nearby Pioneer club and was walking up the road with the others when his co-defendant saw the driver at a house and joked 'give me a kebab'.

May said a third man then urninated up against a car, Mr Ahmed's Nissan Micra.

The delivery driver started arguing with the third man, who became angry and started jumping on the car, May said.

He told the jury he did not join in or see anybody grab Mr Ahmed or take his jacket, which contained more than £200 from his night's work.

May said he lied in his police interviews, saying he was elsewhere at the time of the incident and challenged the police to hold an identity parade to see if he would be picked out.

Kent said he was walking home from the same club as the other two men and became caught up in the incident.

As he approached, he said Mr Ahmed came over, swinging his arms in a 'violent manner', so Kent swore at him, kicking the car several times.

Both Kent and witness Neil Davies, who lives in a house opposite where the incident happened, said Mr Ahmed made a phone call in his native language, after which several foreign men turned up with weapons and May said the trio were chased down the street.

Proceeding