FOUR people have appeared in court after an incident that saw a protected animal abused during a late-night break-in at Marwell Zoo.

They had a date set for their trial at Winchester Crown Court. 

Nathan Daniels, 21, of Alexander Grove, Fareham, Bradley Green, 23, of Salterns Estate, Fareham, and Jason Huggitt, 23, of Brockhurst Road, Gosport have each been charged with burglary with intent to commit criminal damage following an incident at the Colden Common attraction in February 2021. All three deny the offence.

Daniels and Huggitt also pleaded not guilty to a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal - a charge Green admitted in front of Basingstoke magistrates on September 15.

Coral Lock, 23, of Southway, Gosport has been charged with assisting an offender but is yet to enter a plea.

All four defendants appeared in the dock at Winchester Crown Court on Wednesday, October 19. They spoke only to confirm their names.

The judge, Mrs Justice Cutts, adjourned the hearing for an application for dismissal in relation to the burglary charges on December 22. 

Depending on the hearing's outcome, all four will stand trial on March 14. They were all bailed.