A 21-YEAR-OLD accused of being part of a gang of masked men who stormed into a flat and attacked two people told police he initially thought it was a ‘surprise joke’.

Callum Mawle, of Corn Street, Witney, denies two counts of wounding with intent and one of theft.

They are in relation to a robbery in Banbury last year in which a group of five burst into a flat in Rachel House, Dashwood Place, at about 5am on May 7, attacking two sleeping men with a wrench and knuckledusters.

As his trial continued at Oxford Crown Court yesterday jurors were told by prosecutor Ian Hope that Mawle was initially picked up by police shortly after the robbery with blood on his jeans which was later matched to one of the victims.

Despite initially telling officers he had been to nightclub MooMoo and was nowhere near Rachel House on May 7, Mr Hope said Mawle gave a second voluntary interview two days later admitting this had been a lie. A transcript from this was read out in court, with jurors hearing Mawle tell officers he had been hanging out by the canal in Spiceball Park with three friends when they met with a fifth friend in a car.

They were told to get in the car, according to Mawle, and found fancy dress masks they were made to put on.

When they arrived at Rachel House, he said the group were told to 'grab a weapon' and enter the building, adding: "I thought at first it might be a surprise joke, I didn't know we were actually going to hurt anyone." He denied taking a weapon or being involved in the violence.

George Baker, 19, of Hilliat Fields, Abingdon, is also on trial and denies the same charges. The trial continues.