A NUMBER of people appeared at crown court yesterday in connection with raids on village post offices.

Three men and a 17-yearold youth are accused of conspiracy to commit robbery, relating to raids at post offices in Wingate and Trimdon Station, County Durham, and at Elwick, near Hartlepool, in December and January.

Malcolm Robert Robson, 37, of Sophia, Seaham, County Durham; James Darren Murray, 39, of Kirkstone Avenue, Jarrow, South Tyneside; Robert Kirk Pittard, 40, of Princess Park, Liverpool; and the youth face the charge of conspiracy to rob.

Mr Robson and Mr Pittard are also accused of conspiracy to produce cannabis and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Sylvia Bleasdale, 61, also of Sophia, Seaham, is a co-accused on the conspiracy to produce cannabis allegation.

All five appeared at Newcastle Crown Court, but were not asked to plead.

Mr Robson, Mr Murray and Mr Pittard were further remanded in custody by Judge Esmond Faulks, who extended bail on Ms Bleasdale and the 17-year-old youth until a plea hearing at a date to be set in the first week of August, with a view to a four-week trial beginning on October 19.

Masked men, in two cases said to have been armed with a shotgun, escaped with about £2,000 from the post offices at Wingate, on December 8, and Elwick, on January 26, when a sum of foreign currency was also taken.

The robbers fled empty handed after the manageress refused to hand over money at Trimdon Station Post Office, on December 23.