A 54-YEAR-old Carlisle man has appeared before a crown court judge and denied allegations of burglary and handling stolen goods worth £16,000.

Graham Carruthers, formerly of John Street, Carlisle, appeared before the city’s crown court via a Skype video link, accused of burgling a house at Moat Side, Brampton, between March 4 and March 7 and stealing jewellery and personal items.

He is additionally charged with dishonestly handling the goods that are alleged to have been stolen in that burglary.

After both allegations were put to the defendant, he entered not guilty pleas. Lawyers involved in the case agreed that the trial which will now need to take place is likely to about two days.

Judge Nicholas Barker provisionally set the trial date for August 12, though there will be a case management hearing to resolve any outstanding legal issues on June 25.

In the meantime, the defendant was remanded in custody.

No further details of the prosecution case were put before the court. Carruthers, who spoke only to confirm his details and enter his not guilty pleas, was represented by defence barrister Christopher Morrison.

The prosecutor overseeing the case was Gerard Rogerson.