A MAN accused of carrying out a series of robberies at banks and building societies in South Warwickshire says it was not him and he was not there, a judge has heard.

Brian O'Dell, 41, who is from Stratford but has no fixed address, pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to three charges of robbery and one of attempted robbery.

At an earlier preliminary hearing, the court heard that all four robberies, committed in August and September, were said to have involved the use of a knife.

The first alleged offence was on August 6 when O'Dell is accused of robbing cashiers Elizabeth Vincent and Laura Walker of £3,240 at the Nationwide Building Society in Stratford.

On September 5, he was said to have targeted the Skipton Building Society branch in Worcester and robbed cashier Jamie Clougher of £560.

A week later, O'Dell is said to have unsuccessfully tried to rob cashier Carole Steed of an unknown quantity of cash at the HSBC branch in Studley.

It is alleged he returned to the Nationwide Building Society in Stratford later the same day and robbed Elizabeth Vincent and Laura Walker for a second time, escaping with £1,640.

After O'Dell had entered his not guilty pleas at the resumed hearing, his barrister Jonathon Coode told the judge: "The defendant's case is that it was not him and he was not there."

The case was adjourned for trial, and O'Dell was remanded in custody by Recorder David Jones.