THREE men, two armed with knives, robbed a shopworker, after carjacking a vehicle and putting false registration plates on it, a court heard.

Haroon Shah, 21, was alleged to have been one of those armed with a knife and involved in all the offences.

Prosecutor Clare Walsh told Bradford Crown Court that Shah and two others were involved in the offences, which took place within an hour on the evening of December 4 last year.

Mrs Walsh said carjacking victim Hemed Ahmed was withdrawing money from a cash machine in Carlisle Street, Manningham, Bradford, after leaving his car with the engine running and keys in the ignition, when three Asian males came towards him. One got in the back seat and when Mr Ahmed tried to remove him he was punched to the side of the head. He ran from his Toyota Avensis and the three drove off in it.

Mrs Walsh alleged the men stole registration plates from another Toyota Avensis and put it on the stolen vehicle. They then entered Lytton Food Store, in Lytton Road, Girlington, Bradford, where Zaheer Khan was working alone.

Two of the men wore balaclava masks and had knives. They held the weapons towards Mr Khan and threatened him. The complainant took money from the till and handed it over, along with cigarettes and his mobile phone.

Mrs Walsh told the jury they would be sure from the evidence that Shah was the man who punched Mr Ahmed and was one of those armed with a knife at the food store.

Shah pleads not guilty to two charges of robbery, one of theft and one of possessing a bladed article.

The trial continues.