A SCAFFOLDER must appear at Swindon Crown Court next month after being charged with two counts of robbery.

Luke Cookson, 22, of The Crescent, Chiseldon, appeared before magistrates on Monday where it was alleged that he, along with two others, robbed two men within 30 minutes of one another in Swindon town centre on April 6.

The first allegation relates to an incident in the underpass by The Parade while the second is in relation to an alleged robbery near Regent Circus.

Magistrates told Cookson that, due to the seriousness of the charges, the case was being adjourned until May 26 at Swindon Crown Court.

He was electronically tagged so he could continue to work as a scaffolder but was banned from Swindon town centre.

Cookson also faces a charge of assault from April 5, which he denies, and will face at a separate hearing before Chippenham magistrates on June 8.