Gang accused of Brighouse Co-op raid

£2,000 worth of cigarettes were stolen at the Highfield Road store in Rastrick on March 24.

Five men – three of whom are in custody – were at Bradford Crown Court this morning.

Four of them initially submitted not guilty pleas to Honour Judge David Hatton DC.

They were Jason L Jones, 25, of Burmantofts, Leeds, Billy R Kirby, 22, of East Park Road, Leeds, James D Hawkins, 19, of Sutherland Terrace, Leeds and Carl A Spink, 25 of Telford Terrace, Leeds.

But after the case was closed, Hawkins, having previously denied the burglary charge, returned to the courtroom to change his plea to guilty.

Another man who pleaded guilty to the offence at an earlier court hearing was Joshua Wannan, 20, of Amberton Gardens, Leeds. He also appeared in court today.

While Spink and Hawkins were bailed, Jones, Kirby and Wannan remain in police custody.

The case was adjourned.

Honour Judge David Hatton DC said: “This case is going to be adjourned. I can’t tell you when it can next be heard, it will probably be heard in August.”

It was suggested the case would next be mentioned at Leeds Crown Court on August 13 although no confirmations were made today.