Two Helsby men to face crown court trial after denying attempted robbery

Jun 11 2009 by Ben Coulbeck, Chester Chronicle

TWO young men are to appear at Chester Crown Court after they denied attempted robbery.

Johnathan Holding, 20, of Upper Holland Road, Birmingham, and a 17-year-old male, from Elton, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty at Northwich Magistrates Court to attempting to steal an Ipod and mobile phone on Smithy Lane, Helsby, on March 15.

Holding, originally from Helsby, also faces two further charges of witness intimidation on April 10 and April 17 on Chester Road, Helsby.

He denies trying to obstruct the police investigation by way of asking the victim to drop the charges and also using threatening behaviour.

Holding and his teenage co-defendant will appear at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, June 23. They must not make contact the male victim under conditions of their bail.