AN ALLEGED kidnap victim told a jury he “can’t be 100 per cent sure” a man he previously accused of taking part in the escapade was involved to the same extent.

Four men are standing trial accused of possessing firearms and kidnapping Dario Rodrigues and his cousin Carlos Pontis.

Bolton Crown Court heard the duo were forced separately into two Mercedes cars in Rochdale Road in Whitefield on January 21 between 4pm and 5pm.

Prosecutors say they were kidnapped by a gang – who accused the pair of stealing a cannabis crop – and driven to a field where Mr Rodrigues had a gun fired at the ground beside him.

Mr Rodrigues told police in interview one of the those responsible was defendant Rezart Belasi, aged 34, of Caldy Drive, Ramsbottom.

But giving evidence via video link yesterday the alleged victim said: “I can’t be 100 per cent sure.

“He’s name got mentioned and someone turned up looking like him and dressed like him.

“They were on the phone to him. The driver’s window went down and somebody popped their head in and it was his head.

“I’m sure he turned up to say a few words. He was there but not all the way through.”

Mr Rodrigues agreed in cross-examination he had lied to police about Belasi assaulting him with a gun and firing the shot next to him.

He said: “”I can’t remember every detail. It was a nightmare. I got kidnapped and threatened with being killed.”

Belasi’s barrister Andrew Alty said cell site analysis, which uses signals to pinpoint the approximate location of mobile telephones, showed Mr Rodrigues was in the Rawtenstall area – 10 miles away from Whitefield – when he took calls from Belasi at 3.55pm and 4.05pm on the day of the alleged kidnapping.

Mr Rodrigues said: “I can’t recall speaking to him but obviously I must have spoken to him.”

Belasi, also accused of robbing Mr Pontis and production of cannabis, and his co-defendants deny all the charges. The trial continues.