A FORMER employee at a Bradford service station has told a jury he was "tortured and beaten" into falsely confessing to the police that he gave inside information to a gang of robbers that stole the takings.

Kevin Persaud is on trial at Bradford Crown Court denying conspiracy to rob the business's owner, Salim Rahman, of £17,900 on August 11 last year.

Mr Rahman, who runs Great Horton Service Station with his son, Fahim Rahman, was robbed as he drove along Horton Grange Road to the bank at about 10.20am.

Persaud, 22, of Thornton Road, Bradford, is accused of telling gang members about the weekly trip to deposit the money and alerting them when Mr Rahman set off in his car that morning.

Fahim Rahman told the jury he confronted Persaud about involvement in the crime and he owned up to it.

He was arrested in the office at the petrol station and the court has heard that he confessed his guilt to the police.

Mr Rahman said he was alone with Persaud when they had the conversation and he felt betrayed and let down after befriending him and helping him over the years.

Persaud told the jury he was interrogated in the office by Fahim Rahman and slapped, kicked, punched and hit with a hammer by a group of men until he agreed to admit involvement in the robbery.

"I was told 'you were the one who took the money and took part in the robbery'," he said.

He agreed to take responsibility to stop them "torturing" him.

Persaud claimed the men made him confess on a video and took his wallet and withdrew £380 from his bank account.

He said he was too afraid to tell the police what really happened.

The jury has heard that Fahim Rahman and Persaud were good friends before the robbery.

They met at the Islamic Community Centre in Nelson Street, Bradford, and Persaud was given a job at the service station.

He helped with trips to the cash and carry, banking and in the garage workshop.

Persaud had left his employment at the garage before the robbery.

The trial continues.