Men accused of touring Perthshire on housebreaking spree

Two men appeared from custody at Perth Sheriff Court on Friday accused of being part of a team of travelling housebreakers who stole around £30,000 worth of property.

Robert Smith, 36, of Laburnum Avenue, Beith, and John McLeese, 27, of Witches Linn, Ardrossan, both Ayrshire, will stand trial at the court on April 25.

They deny that between March 18 and 19 they stole quad bikes from Mains of Pitgur, Killiecrankie, and Derculich, Strathtay.

Smith and McLeese also deny that on the same dates they broke into Strathtay Golf Club, Pitlochry, and stole a garden strimmer.

In addition, they pleaded not guilty to a charge that on March 19 at Milton of Tulliemet Farm, Pitlochry, they stole a quantity of tools.

Colin Pearson, 25, of Paduff Place, Kilbirnie, Ayrshire who also faces the first three charges did not appear and his case was continued without plea until April 10, the date of an intermediate diet.