THREE men who are accused of breaking into a South Shields home and stealing a pair of trousers will have their cases heard at crown court.
John Bothick, 36, Colin Cram, 35, and Craig Swan, 38, were at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court facing a joint charge of burglary.
The group are said to have broken into a house in Alice Street, South Shields, and stolen the owner’s trousers, which had cash in the pockets, in the early hours of Thursday.
Stan Sudworth, prosecuting, told the court that the allegation is so serious, the cases must be heard at Newcastle Crown Court and they will appear in on February 8.
Bothick, of Lulworth Avenue, Jarrow, was remanded in custody until then.
Cram, of Hedgely Road, Hebburn, and Swan, of Chichester Road, South Shields, were granted bail on the conditions that they live at the addresses given to court, do not contact prosecution witnesses, are electronically curfewed between 7pm and 7am and report to South Shields police station every day.