Jury retires in Securitas trial

The robbery took place at a Securitas depot in Kent in 2006

Jurors in the Old Bailey trial of two men accused of taking part in the �53m Securitas depot robbery have retired to consider their verdicts.

Paul Allen, 30, of Chatham, Kent, and Michael Demetris, 32, of Bromley, south London, both deny conspiracy to rob, kidnap and possess firearms.

The robbery in Tonbridge in February 2006 was Britain's biggest cash raid.

Jurors were told Mr Allen and fellow cage-fighter Lee Murray, who is jail in Morocco, were the raid's masterminds.

The court heard that the two of them fled to Morocco.

Mr Allen was brought back to the UK, while a decision on 29-year-old Mr Murray's extradition is still to be made.

Mr Allen has said he had nothing to do with the raid and accused Mr Murray of using him in the plot.

'Terrifying ordeal'

It has been alleged Mr Demetris, a hairdresser, asked his employee Michelle Hogg to provide prosthetic disguises, similar to those used in theatre and cinema production, for the men involved in the raid.

Ms Hogg gave evidence in the trial and claimed Mr Demetris had "duped and misled" her into making the disguises.

She was originally charged in connection with the raid but charges were later dropped when she agreed to give evidence for the prosecution.

The court has been told robbers kidnapped Securitas manager Colin Dixon and his family to carry out the "terrifying" robbery in which staff members were tied up and threatened with guns.

Five people were jailed earlier this year for their parts in the raid.