Men due in court over botched robbery at jewellers in Portsmouth where assailants left empty-handed

Police were called just after 11.05am on Sunday to a report a man with a crowbar had caused damage to one of the jewellery cases at Goldsmiths jewellers in the Cascades Shopping Centre in Portsmouth, as previously reported. Nothing was taken, no-one was hurt, and he left with another man who was waiting on a scrambler bike outside.

About 10 minutes later two men matching the same description on a scrambler bike stole fuel and cigarettes from the Shell garage on Eastern Road. "As part of our enquiries a 37-year-old man was subsequently arrested in Waterlooville and a 42-year-old man who was located with a motorbike was arrested in Havant," a police spokesperson previously said.

Steven Brimecome, 37, of Milton Road in Portsmouth, and Stuart Simmons, 42, of Kingscott Road in Cosham, were charged with attempted robbery. Both were previously remanded to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates Court where they denied attempted robbery and were due to face a trial at Portsmouth Crown Court today. A pre-trial preparation hearing that was meant to take place has now been delayed until a future date to be decided.