A businessman accused of attempted murder has denied being involved in beatings which ended with a 48-year-old man being left for dead in a country road.

Waheed Akhtar, 46, told a jury at Bradford Crown Court yesterday that he was a victim himself, and he maintained that a stash of missing heroin was nothing to do with him.

Akhtar, who is involved with car-dealing and a bottled-water importation business, claimed he was in a state of panic and confusion that night and other men were forcing him to do certain things.

The jury has already heard how Daniel Francis was found close to death in Lee Lane, Wilsden, a year ago after he had been subjected to a severe beating.

Another man, Naveed Younis, and a woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are also said by the prosecution to have been tortured by a gang of men.

Akhtar, of Acton Street, Bradford, described how during that night he was driven around by some of the men and told to do what they said.

He described how they went to his mill premises off Thornton Road where he saw Mr Francis - known as African - seriously injured and Mr Younis injured.

"Did you in any way encourage anyone to hit any of those three people?'' asked his barrister Simon Bourne-Arton QC.

He described how later Mr Younis and the woman were dropped off, but he said he was left in Midland Road and did not see what happened to Mr Francis. He said after being dropped off he was told he would be killed if he went to the police.

Akhtar said he was scared and confused about what had happened and he left Bradford for a few weeks before going to Pakistan where he stayed until January.

He claimed that Mr Younis had tried to blackmail him by suggesting he would have to pay to get himself out of trouble.

Akhtar, Azar Mahmood, 38, of Harrogate Terrace, Bradford, Shazan Sikander, 36, of Lamorna Street, London, Asif Iqbal, 20, of Waterloo Road, Manchester, Sagir Alam, 21, of Heywood Street, Manchester and Ishrat Rubbani, 23, of Kearsley Road, Manchester, have all pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder Mr Francis and conspiring to supply heroin.

They also deny causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Francis, Mr Younis and the woman, and falsely imprisoning all three of them.

Iqbal and Alam have denied indecently assaulting the woman. Akhtar has also denied a charge of doing acts tending or intended to pervert the course of justice.

The trial continues.