A MAN facing a burglary charge made history at Harrogate Magistrates' Court yesterday when he was remanded in custody while 60 miles from the courtroom, in a hearing which took just four minutes.

William Patrick Conarty, 32, appeared before a Bench sitting in court two while he was on remand at Hull Prison - the first time a video link set up between the two locations had been used.

He had been in custody for eight days after being refused bail, accused of jointly burgling the house of a neighbour in Dalby Avenue, Starbeck, Harrogate, on July 21, and stealing a games console, games and DVDs.

Conarty, who had earlier had a 10-minute conversation via the link with his solicitor Geoffrey Rogers, sat in a booth in the prison watching a television screen which showed him the scene in the courtroom.

Mr Rogers did not contest an application by the prosecution that his client be remanded in custody, and court chairman Brian Pattyson adjourned the hearing until November 12 when Conarty, who has been ordered to stand trial at YorkCrown Court, is expected to appear via the video link.