Carl Wood, 58, told a jury of his friendship with Danny Jones who has admitted his role in the largest burglary in English history
A man accused of being part of the Hatton Garden heist told a court he has been friends with one of the ringleaders for 30 years - but they never discussed crime.
Daniel "Danny" Jones, 60, has admitted his role in the largest burglary in English history, which took place over the Easter weekend.
Carl Wood, 58, denies being part of the plot and took to the stand at Woolwich Crown Court for the first time today.
He told the jury about his long-standing friendship with Jones, whom he described as "eccentric to extremes".
Wood, a married father of two, told jurors he first met Jones in a pub around 30 years ago, and the two became friends over their mutual interest in "keeping fit".
He said Jones was obsessed with the army and keeping fit and would often go to bed in a sleeping bag on his bedroom floor.
Jones would also speak to his white-haired terrier dog, Rocket, as if it were human, Wood told the jury.
But soon after he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, aged around 24, Wood had to reduce his physical activity and instead he and Jones would go for walks together, often to a nearby garden centre, he told the court.
Bearded Wood, dressed in a beige V-neck sweater, white open collar shirt and dark trousers, told the jury Jones is a very "caring" and "sensitive" guy.
Wood said: "Danny is a very sensitive guy, a very funny man. Eccentric to extremes, that everyone who knew Danny would say he was mad. He would go to bed in his mother's dressing gown with a fez on."He continued: "He would read palms, tell people he could read their fortunes - bit of a Walter Mitty.
"Danny was studying crime all the time in his room, reading books about it, watch films and go on the internet."
The court heard the two men would often speak on the phone, but Wood explained this as "general chit chat", and as them arranging to go on a walk.
The prosecution allege that the series of phonecalls involved plotting the Hatton Garden raid.
Referring to a call in early January, Nick Corsellis, defending, asked: "Were you discussing the planning of the largest burglary in English history?"
Wood replied: "No I was not. If I wasn't going on a walk, generally I was visiting my mum, with my wife or my children, or in the vicinity of my house. My life never changed other than that."
The court heard Wood was in debt and had financial issues at the beginning of the year,
He told the jury he knew Jones was obsessed with crime, but that they never discussed this.
"He would tell me from time to time what he had been up to, but I never asked," said Wood.
Wood is accused of being one of the men who broke into Hatton Garden Safe Deposit on the night of April 2.
He is alleged to have also returned on the night of April 4, but walked away from the job after finding the fire escape door closed.
The prosecution argue that a suspect identified as "Man F" in CCTV footage of the burglary is Wood.
Wood, of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, is charged with conspiracy to commit burglary, and one count of conspiracy to convert, conceal or transfer criminal property.
Ringleaders Brian Reader, John "Kenny" Collins, 75, Jones and Terry Perkins, 67, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary at Hatton Garden Safe Deposit between 17 May 2014 and 7.30am on April 5 this year.
William Lincoln, 60, of Winkley Street, Bethnal Green, east London; and Jon Harbinson, 42, of Beresford Gardens, Benfleet, Essex, are on trial accused of the same offence. A fourth man, plumbing engineer Hugh Doyle, 48, of Riverside Gardens, Enfield, north London, is jointly charged with them on one count of conspiracy to conceal, convert or transfer criminal property between January 1 and May 19, this year.
He also faces an alternative charge of concealing, converting or transferring criminal property between April 1 and May 19, this year
One of the thieves, a red-haired man known only as Basil, has not yet been identified.
Collins of Bletsoe Walk, Islington; Jones of Park Avenue, Enfield; Perkins of Heene Road, Enfield and Reader of Dartford Road, Dartford, are due to be sentenced at a later date.
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