A POOLE father-of-six accused of robbery has taken to the stand to defend himself against the allegations.

Caleb Holland denies any involvement in a raid during which a 78-year-old farmer was tied up, beaten and robbed in his own home.

Holland, 43, who describes himself as a traveller, said he was in the area of victim Leonard Langdown’s remote farm in Bloxworth because he was doing a favour for another man.

He said he agreed to the man’s request to “take him out for a couple of hours” in his car in exchange for half an ounce of cannabis and added: “He said he was sorting out a deal for something so I assumed it was something to do with cannabis - I knew there was something dodgy going on.”

Holland, of Bedford Road South, said he and the man waited in a lay-by near Bloxworth for three men who were travelling in another vehicle.

He told the court he believed they “went to sort a bit of cannabis” and said he drove home after waiting for “an hour or so” because his wife needed the car.

The court heard Holland, unemployed, has only one kidney, is on medication and sometimes uses cannabis for pain relief.

The prosecution claim Holland was involved in the robbery at Snailsbreach Farm on March 24 this year but was not believed to have been at the farmhouse.

Three others are accused of taking part in the raid, during which it is alleged they threatened to cut off Mr Langdown’s fingers and stab his dog to death.

They are Michael Seddon, 22, from Bootle in Merseyside, Jake Borland, 21, of Beswick Avenue, Bournemouth and 21-year-old Samir Lammali of Alton Road, Bournemouth.

All three deny robbery and Seddon and Lammali have told the court there were three other men in the car with Holland and the other man.

But Holland’s barrister asked Lammali: “Are you quite sure that these three men actually exist? I suggest to you that they do not.”

The jury has been told that £4,000 in cash, 19 guns and a pick-up truck were stolen from Mr Langdown’s farm and that some of the guns were later discovered during a search at Kinson Common.

A fifth man, Ryan Dear, 21, of Frensham Close, Bournemouth, denies handling stolen goods in relation to the guns.

The trial continues.