Takeaway man ‘attacked his boss with knife’ (From York Press)

Takeaway man ‘attacked his boss with knife’

9:51am Thursday 2nd February 2012 in News By Megi Rychlikova, megi.rychlikova@thepress.co.uk

A TAKEAWAY delivery driver allegedly stole his employer’s takings and attacked him with a knife in a bid to stop him giving evidence, a York jury heard.

Muharrem Kaya, owner of Chubbies takeaway in Hull Road, claimed Christopher Trevor Thompson, 36, should have handed over £247 he collected from customers on September 23.

But he did not return to the fast food outlet at the end of his shift and never handed over the money.

Tom Storey, prosecuting, said Thompson told police the money was wages owed to him by Mr Kaya.

Mr Kaya alleged that two months after he went to police over the money, he was attacked at 1am outside his takeaway by a man in dark clothing and with his face covered by something that looked like a hat.

The man tried to push him into the takeaway and cut his thumb with a knife.

Mr Storey alleged: “The prosecution say that this visit was by this defendant (Thompson) who was trying to intimidate Mr Kaya into withdrawing his allegation or complaint about the theft of the money late in September.”

Thompson, of Alcuin Avenue, Tang Hall, denies theft and intimidating a witness, causing actual bodily harm and carrying a knife in public on December 17. Mr Storey claimed police saw two people leave Thompson’s home about 15 minutes after the alleged attack.

When they knocked on the door, Thompson answered, wearing only boxer shorts, and said he had been in bed since 11.30pm. Police confiscated a knife they found on a shelf next to the stairs because it had blood on it.

A forensic scientist allegedly matched the blood to a sample taken from Mr Kaya.

Thompson claimed the blood could have come from Mr Kaya when he sharpened it for Thompson at the takeaway in the past.

Mr Kaya claimed he had never seen the knife before or used it.

The trial continues.