The mastermind behind Britain’s biggest cash robbery is a cage fighter who is languishing in a Moroccan jail, the Old Bailey was told yesterday.

Lee Murray, 29, is resisting extradition to Britain to stand trial for organising the £53 million Securitas robbery. His alleged partner in organising the raid on the Securitas depot in Tonbridge, Kent, was in the dock yesterday charged with conspiracy to rob, kidnap and possess firearms.

Paul Allen, 30, of Chatham, is alleged to have played a key role in planning the 2006 robbery before fleeing the country. Sir John Nutting, QC, for the prosecution, said: “He assisted Lee Murray, who was arguably the leading light. He and Lee Murray were friends. They worked part-time as ‘cage fighters’, a martial arts activity. We have their telephone records. In the period to February 21 they speak during the day and last thing at night.”

Alongside Mr Allen in the dock, facing similar charges, is Michael Demetris, 32, a hairdresser from southeast London. Both men deny the charges.

The jury was told that in January five men had been convicted for their roles in the raid. Key evidence at that trial came from Michelle Hogg, who created masks to disguise the gang.

The court was told that robbers had kidnapped the Securitas manager Colin Dixon and his family before the “terrifying” raid in which workers were tied up and threatened with guns. The kidnappings took place on February 21 and the robbery early the next day, Sir John said. Five days later police arrested three of the gang.

Sir John said: “Two other conspirators, Lee Murray and Paul Allen, went to Amsterdam and thence to Morocco. Murray, who has claimed Moroccan nationality, remains in jail.”

In 2005 Mr Murray allegedly began to take an interest in the Securitas depot, and he and Mr Allen bought pay-as-you-go mobile phones and Sim cards at Bluewater shopping centre. In January 2006 Allen twice visited a security shop to buy covert cameras and recording equipment, used in the reconnaissance of the depot and the Dixons’ home, the court was told.

Sir John said that Mr Allen had been with Ms Hogg when she fitted prosthetic masks to the robbers, and allowed his home to be used by Mr Demetris to “perfect the disguises”.

He added: “On February 26 he fled with Lee Murray to Morocco, where he and Lee Murray hoped to remain living on their share of the proceeds.”

Mr Demetris is accused of introducing his employee, Ms Hogg, to the plotters “so that her expertise could be used in the creation of disguises”. Sir John said: “He played a significant part in organising the work, helped Michelle Hogg generally and undertook most of the tasks relating to changes of hairstyle for the disguises.”

Mr Murray had been “at the heart” of the plot, although he could not be identified from security camera foot-age of the raid. Evidence about the plot was found on a mobile phone left in Mr Murray’s car when he crashed it and fled the scene, counsel told the jury.

The trial continues.

Times Recommends

• Swine flu vaccine for all as drug rushed through
• Artificial sperm and the race to build a baby
• BBC jets out stars to tout for prizes