A COUPLE have denied knowing £4,720 worth of £20 bank notes in their possession were counterfeit.

David Soulsby, 34, and 23-year-old Amiee Rebecca Felton have also denied passing and trying to pass some of the notes at shops and at a hotel over a period of a few weeks in May and June last year.

The pair appeared at a plea hearing at Durham Crown Court today (Thursday May 2) when the charges were put to them.

Ms Felton pleaded ‘not guilty’ to passing counterfeit currency, two £20 notes, at the Tesco Metro store in the Market Place, Durham , on May 14.

She also denied three counts of tendering counterfeit currency, two £20 notes at the Tesco Superstore in Delves Lane, Consett, on May 26, four £20 notes both at the Metro Clearance Outlet, on Gibside Way, at the MetroCentre, Gateshead, on May 28, and at the Hilton Hotel, in Cobham, Surrey, on June 3.

Mr Soulsby also pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the last two of those charges.

Both he and Ms Felton also denied having custody or control of counterfeit currency, 236 Bank of England £20 notes, between May 1 and June 5.

The case was adjourned for a trial, at which the four shop and hotel assistants who were presented with some of the notes, will be called to give evidence.

Both Mr Soulsby, of Castlehills, Castleside, and Ms Felton, of Iveston Lane, Iveston, both near Consett, were bailed to return for the trial, expected to last up to three days, starting at the court on Monday, June 24.