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JURORS were asked today to take into account the intelligence of a man accused of armed robbery and possession of an imitation firearm.

Lee Wilson, 21, of Curzon Avenue, Tylers Green, faces charges at Reading Crown Court for robbing the same Threshers off-licence in School Road, Penn, three times.

He is also accused of robbing the Esso service station at Hazlemere crossroads.

Opening the defence Louis French asked the jury to take care as they heard Wilson's evidence.

He said: "This is a young man of extremely limited intellectual ability."

Wilson's former friend David Gilchrist, 26, of Rushmoor Avenue, Hazlemere, has pleaded guilty to similar charges and told the jury earlier this week that Wilson had joined him in the crimes.

Gilchrist said the robberies were committed to fund the pair's crack cocaine habit.

On July 22 2007, the date of the last robbery at Threshers, CCTV footage showed Wilson walking through Sir William Ramsey School, in Rose Avenue, Hazlemere. He has since pleaded guilty to a breaking and entering charge and was ordered to pay compensation and is serving 100 hours community service, Wilson said.

The footage was timed at around 4.30pm and showed Wilson in a white hoodie - which did not fit the description for the second man involved in that robbery later in the day.

Asked if he ever smoked crack cocaine, Wilson said: "I never took it and I never will. I smoked cannabis because I liked it but that's the only drug I ever took."

Wilson told the jury he once owned a gas-powered BB gun but said he sold it to Gilchrist months before the robberies started. He said the imitation gun presented to the jury as evidence was a different pistol.

He also claimed he was not familiar with the area of woodland where the imitation firearm was buried.

The final robbery at Threshers was committed with a pocket knife. Wilson says later that day just prior to his arrest by police Gilchrist telephoned him and asked to meet outside the house on Curzon Avenue. Wilson told the jury Gilchrist returned several items used in the robbery at that point.

Wilson said: "He said sorry I stole your knife and your sunglasses, you can have them back'."

Both were arrested shortly afterwards. The trial continues.

2:35pm Thursday 24th July 2008

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