A 26-year-old man has denied breaking into a house armed with a weapon.

Josef Smith, from Border Lane, Devonshire, pleaded not guilty yesterday to aggravated burglary, using a firearm to commit an indictable offence and discharging a firearm.

The charges relate to an incident on March 14 this year at a home on North Shore Road, Hamilton Parish.

Two other men, 23-year-old Taariq Clarke and 24-year-old Umdae Woolridge, have previously denied charges in connection to the same incident, in which an iPhone and a Samsung Galaxy were reported as being stolen. The matter is expected to go to trial in the Supreme Court in the spring.

Mr Smith was one of several defendants who answered charges during yesterday’s arraignments session.

Owen Hewitt Simons, 43, denied importing cannabis and possessing a controlled drug with intent to supply on July 2 this year. Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves set a January trial date and granted him bail. Meanwhile, a 20-year-old man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, denied a single charge of having unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 14.

That defendant was also released on bail and is expected to return to court in March to stand trial.

Editor’s note: It is The Royal Gazette’s policy not to allow comments on stories regarding active court cases. This is to prevent any statements being published that may jeopardise the outcome of that case.