A FORMER cage fighter accused of being connected with Britain's biggest cash heist, trained at a gym right behind the Securitas depot, a court has heard.

Jurors at the Old Bailey heard that marshal arts expert Lea Rusha trained at a number of gyms in Tonbridge, including The Angel Centre only a short distance from the depot that was robbed on February 21 last year.

Questioned by defence barrister Graeme Wilson, Rusha described the gyms he trained at, including Hunter's Gym, The Pavilion and The Angel Centre "just behind the Securitas building".

Rusha admitted knowing several of his co-defendants through various activities - delivering cars for Stuart Royal, training with Jetmir Bucpappa and delivering cannabis with another person, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Rusha denied possession of a mobile phone, which the prosecution claimed linked him to the robbery. He said the phone found at his home in Lambersart Close, Southborough, near Tunbridge Wells, could have been a secret phone used by his girlfriend to call the unnamed person with whom, he believes, she was having an affair.

He said: "There is evidence she was having other relationships. It's possible it could have been a secret phone."

Rusha's defence team told the court of his previous convictions which included GBH, shop-lifting and wounding, as well as admitting dealing in cannabis. He also said he has become involved in debt collection.

Rusha said calls between him and the unnamed person were only ever about cannabis or cage fighting and were not connected to the £53m Securitas robbery.

He denied ever having any dealings with, or knowledge of, vehicles involved in the robbery and denied ever having been to the Securitas depot.

However, he did admit having access to a lock-up in Southborough owned by his cousin, where millions of pounds of the Securitas cash was found after the heist.

Rusha denied prosecution claims that he met with co-defendants at Stuart Royal's house in Shaftsbury Avenue, Maidstone, on January 16, a month before the robbery.

He said he could have been in Maidstone but it was probably to sell drugs. "I used to deliver weed there. I delivered to different pubs all over the place," he said.

The case continues.