A RAILWAY maintenance worker was remanded in custody yesterday charged with conspiracy to steal railway track worth £250,000.
The two-and-a-half miles of track were allegedly stolen from the unused Leamside railway line near Penshaw, Houghton-le-Spring, on the outskirts of Sunderland, last month.
Maintenance worker Glen Pendleton, 49, whose address was given in Houghton-le-Spring Magistrates' Court as William Street, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, was remanded in custody to appear at Newcastle Crown Court next Wednesday.
Mr Pendleton, who the court was told works for rail company Jarvis, is charged with conspiracy with other persons unknown to steal railway track to the value of £250,000 belonging to Railtrack.
The conspiracy charge relates to a period between January 2002 and January 2003, and the court was told the alleged theft took place over a number of days.
The court was told that two other people were on police bail while British Transport Police continued inquiries into the alleged conspiracy.
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