TWO men charged with theft face committal to Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

Mark Allen, aged 43, of St Saviours Street, Talke, and Christopher Armstrong, 29, of Hope Street, Bignall End, are accused of stealing fence panels worth £23,000 belonging to CLD Fencing Systems on May 8 this year.

Armstrong faces further allegations that on or before May 9 this year he stole 355 beer kegs valued £29,850 belonging to Kegwatch, and that he dishonestly received 355 beer kegs. He is also charged with dealing in scrap metal in the Newcastle area when the appropriate details were not registered at the borough council. The defendants were conditionally bailed by North Staffordshire Magistrates until November 25.