AN alleged member of a bank van robbers’ gang has told a jury he knew nothing of two York raids until after they happened.

Kieran Guildford, 21, told Sheffield Crown Court he travelled to Liverpool and back with three men, two of whom have since admitted being part of the group that robbed security guards of £50,000 in Acomb.

Giving evidence, Guildford said he made the return journey as a passenger in a stolen red Ford Focus that the prosecution claims was used as a getaway car for the first robbery less than 12 hours later.

But he denied knowing what it would be used for, or taking any part in the plans or preparation for the robbery outside the Lloyds TSB branch in Front Street on April 18, or a similar robbery outside the HSBC branch in York Road on October 11.

Asked when he first heard about the first raid, he said: “Saw it on Facebook, there had been a robbery in Acomb. I was at my dad’s.”

He claimed he had learned about the second raid the same way.

Guildford, 21, of Gale Lane, Acomb, denies conspiracy to rob.

Four other men, including Martin Cooke, 26, of Walmgate, and Adam Herrington, 26, of Hewley Avenue, Tang Hall, have admitted the same charge.

Guildford claimed he had been returning home in a car driven by Herrington on April 18 when they saw police at the crime scene and Herrington had said: “Oh, they have actually done it.”

At that point, he told the jury, he suspected the Ford Focus might be connected with a crime, but didn’t realise it had been a robbery.

The previous evening Herrington had collected him from his father’s house on what Guildford claimed he thought would be a journey to Leeds to buy CDs.

Herrington had said he would forgo £100 off a cannabis debt Guildford owed him if he did so.

But Herrington had driven them, Cooke, and a fourth man he didn’t know to Liverpool and he had been too scared of Herrington and Cooke to ask why they weren’t going to Leeds and what they were doing in Liverpool.

In Liverpool he had done as Herrington told him and got into the Ford Focus, which had been driven by the unknown man back to York with Herrington’s car and a silver Astra.

The Focus had been parked in a cul-de-sac of garages off Woodlea Avenue and Herrington had invited Guildford to get a takeaway with him and visit his cousin in Ordnance Lane.

Guildford denied taking part in or seeing the number-plates of the Focus changed in the cul-desac.

A witness later told police she saw men by the cars with a toolbox.

Guildford claimed he spent the night at a flat below the one occupied by Herrington’s cousin, and the two didn’t leave until 10.30am the next day, after the robbery.

He claimed he had not heard any discussion about a robbery during the Liverpool journey.

The prosecution does not link Guildford with the second robbery.

The trial continues.