A man has admitted breaking into shared student accommodation in Durham, taking various possessions belonging to the residents.

But, at a Durham Crown Court plea hearing, Steven James Renwick denied a second burglary charge, relating to a further break-in at a property in a nearby street on the same night.

Appearing via prison to court video link, the 26-year-old defendant of Park Close, Langley Park, admitted the charge of burglary relating to student digs in Atherton Street, Durham, on October 13 this year.

Among property taken in that break-in were laptop computers and cables, bottles of aftershave, a Barbour jacket, a kitchen knife and a pen knife.

(Image: Durham Constabulary) He also admitted a charge of possessing a bladed article, a kitchen knife, when he was arrested in Tenter Street, Durham, also on October 13.

But the defendant denied the second burglary charge, relating to a break-in at a flat in North Road, Durham, from where a speaker and a Play Station console and games were taken, also on October 13.

Nicci Horton, prosecuting, said CCTV evidence from the area at the time of the offences is to be scrutinised before a decision is taken by the Crown over the second burglary charge.

(Image: The Northern Echo) That decision will be relayed to the court prior to a further case management hearing in the case, in four weeks.

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As a failsafe, however, a trial date was fixed in case the prosecution refuses to accept the defendant’s not-guilty plea to that count.

A suitable date for trial was agreed with a start date on March 26.

Judge Jo Kidd, therefore, remanded Renwick to remain in custody until the next hearing, on Thursday December 12.