Five in court on Beckham kidnap bid charge

Five men appeared in court today charged with conspiring to kidnap Victoria Beckham.

The four Romanians and one Kosovan Albanian are accused of plotting the snatch on or before November 2 last year.

One of the men – who were surrounded by dock officers as they sat just feet away from the former Spice Girl’s father Tony and brother Christian during the hour-long hearing at London’s Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court – also faces two further charges.

Brian Altman, prosecuting, said Adrian Razvan Pasareanu had been additionally charged with “having a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence” on or about October 25 2002.

A further, similarly worded alternative count against him involved an imitation firearm.

In the dock with the 28-year-old of Green Lane, Morden, south London, was Azem Krifsha, 30, a Kosovo Albanian living at Watford Close, Battersea Park, south London, Alin Turcu, 18, also of Green Lane, Sorin Rusu, 31, of Wabbom Road, Croydon, south London, and Joseph Rivas, 24, of Railton Road, Brixton, south London.

They spoke only once to identify themselves. None of them entered pleas.

The court was told that the men’s trial could last up to three months and was expected to take place later this year.

Judge Henry Blacksell QC further remanded all five in custody for a hearing to deal with legal matters on a date to be fixed.