A COURT has heard allegations that Peter Jones helped old school friend Bernard Pillay escape from police after Pillay slashed two officers' throats.

But Jones, 24, of Dawes Court, Iver, told Reading Crown Court this week he had 'not knowingly' helped Pillay evade arrest on March 24 last year and denied perverting the course of justice

Michael Wood, prosecuting, said Jones and Peter Sabba helped Pillay flee, knowing he was a suspect in a criminal investigation.

Jones said that after a day drinking, he had received a call toward midnight from Mr Sabba, who although charged with the same offence, will play no part in the case.

Mr Sabba picked up Jones from outside a pub in Iver and drove to the Mother Redcap pub, on the A40 near Loudwater. The jury was shown a police helicopter video using a thermal imaging camera, which showed Pillay behind a fence.

It showed Jones running towards Pillay before the pair were driven off by Mr Sabba. All three were arrested later on a nearby industrial estate.

Jones described Mr Sabba as "the sort of person that rings up when he wants something."

In response to defence lawyer Edward Jenkins' question as to why he ran from the car to meet Pillay, Jones said: "I don't know. I must have called him or something."

When asked what he thought had happened, Jones said: "He didn't say, I thought he had been fighting somebody."

He added: "I remember Mr Pillay in the back and he was pushing my seat forward. The car behind hit us and there was a policeman with a gun shouting at me."

When asked if he had done anything to help Pillay evade arrest, Jones replied: "No not knowingly."

The case continues.

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