A martial arts expert accused of helping plan Britain's biggest ever cash raid stood before a jury this week to protest his innocence.

Paul Allen, 30, is said to have plotted the £53m armed heist at the Securitas cash depot in Tonbridge, Kent, with the UK's top ranked cagefighter Lee 'Lightning' Murray.

But giving evidence on Monday Allen denied involvement in the robbery.

The Old Bailey has heard how depot manager Colin Dixon and his family were taken hostage while 14 staff were held at gunpoint as the robbers grabbed the loot.

After the raid in February 2006, Murray and Allen fled to Morocco in North Africa, where they were subsequently arrested by the local police.

Allen was extradited and is now standing trial with hairdressing salon owner Michael Demetris, 32, but Murray remains in a Moroccan jail.

Jurors heard Allen and Murray were childhood friends in Woolwich, SE London, and remained close as Murray rose to the top of his brutal sport, sparring together in their local gym.

The prosecution claim Murray and Allen worked closely together to prepare for the Securitas raid.

It is said they bought mobile phones, covert surveillance cameras and equipment used for reconnaissance on the depot and the Dixons' family home.

Allen allowed Demetris to use his home in Chatham, Kent, to put the finishing touches to the gang's disguises, the court heard.

The prosecution says mobile phone mast evidence links Allen to the Vicarage Park area of Woolwich were the heist was planned.

But Allen told the court he knew 'hundreds' of people in the area, and could have been visiting friends or family there.

Married father-of-three Allen said that his home at Huntersfield Close, Chatham, Kent, had subsequently been repossessed by the bank.

"It's been repossessed, because I couldn't afford to pay the mortgage.

"Someone who's been involved in this, I'm sure they could have been able to pay their mortgage, but I couldn't."

Allen, of Huntersfield Close, Chatham, Kent, and Demetris, of Bromley Common, Bromley, deny conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to possess firearms.

The trial continues.