This is Hull and East Riding --A MAN accused of false imprisonment claims he only pretended to tie someone up.
Liam Woods, 25, is on trial at Hull Crown Court accused of binding Christopher Hipkiss's hands with cable ties at a flat in west Hull.
It is alleged he was part of a gang who imprisoned Mr Hipkiss after luring him to a flat in Coltman Street, believing he was responsible for stealing £90 from one of their bank accounts.
Alexander Oades, Holly Norman and Jamie Mullenger have all pleaded guilty to false imprisonment.
Oades held Mr Hipkiss at knifepoint, ordered him to strip and force fed him potpourri.
It is alleged Oades, 22, of Great Union Street, east Hull, told Mr Woods to tie Mr Hipkiss's hands with cable ties.
Giving evidence in his defence, Mr Woods said: "I was upset about the money but not angry, not to the point of tying someone up or stabbing them.
"I kind of just wanted to play along with it to stop it getting worse, or Alex actually doing it and tying him up.
"I have used tie wraps before and I looped them through backwards so they wouldn't actually fasten.
"He wouldn't have been able to defend himself if his hands were tied.
"I pretended to tie them. I did it on purpose, I did it by design."
Mr Woods told the court he had remained at the flat to stop things if they got out of hand.
In cross-examination, prosecutor Nick Adlington put it to him: "Mr Hipkiss was forced to eat potpourri. Things are definitely out of hand there – your main reason for staying, or so you claim. You did nothing.
"The truth of the matter is the reason you did nothing is because you were in this up to your neck. You know you are as guilty of false imprisonment as the other three and you are trying to wriggle out of it."
The court heard Mullenger, 19, of Cholmley Street, west Hull, and Norman, 22, of Great Union Street, city centre, guarded the door as their victim was tied up.
Mr Woods, of Pickering Road, west Hull, denies false imprisonment and the trial continues.
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