“GIVE me your money,” said a man allegedly threatening two hotel workers in Oxford as he held up a yellow knife, a jury heard.
Brendon Matiza, 26, is on trial at Oxford Crown Court charged with two counts of attempted robbery.
He is accused of holding a knife up to two men in Garsington Road on August 2 last year, demanding they give him money.
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However, he was reportedly stopped by a passing taxi driver before being tasered by police after not following instructions.
Matiza, of Leidon Road, Headington, has admitted to unlawful possession of a knife but denies threatening the men or attempting to rob them.
The trial, which is expected to last two to three days, started on Thursday (January 1) after a 12-strong jury were sworn in.
Prosecuting barrister Matt Knight opened the case and explained that the two men were walking home at about 1.30am after finishing their shifts at a nearby hotel.
“As they reached our Lady Catholic School they noticed a male coming towards them,” he said. “That male was Mr Matiza and Mr Matiza was riding an electric scooter.
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“As Mr Matiza scooted towards them, he then fell sidewards off the scooter. He hadn’t collided with anything, he just fell off.
“The Crown’s case was that was a ruse. A deliberate act to try and ask for assistance from the two individuals walking towards him.
“The Crown say that because Mr Matiza then started asking for help. Mr Matiza’s demeanour then changed.
“He pulled out of his waistband a knife, it was yellow in colour.”
Mr Knight said the defendant then began pointing the knife in a ‘threatening manner’ and said to the men: “Give me your money, give me your money.”
It was alleged the two men said they did not have any money, making Matiza ‘angry’.
However, a passing taxi driver intervened and the men were able to run home and call the police.
Mr Knight said: “The police were on the scene fairly quickly and challenged the defendant but he didn’t comply with their instructions and he was ultimately tasered.”
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He was taken to Abingdon Police Station where he told police the knife had fallen out of his waistband when he fell off the scooter and that he had not taken it out to threaten the money or to try and take their money.
A further search of Matiza revealed he also had a yellow sheath hidden in his underwear where the knife was kept.
The trial continues.
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