ELEVEN people charged in connection with the £53million Securitas depot robbery appeared in court today.

John Fowler, from Staplehurst, together with Maidstone motor-dealer Stuart Royle and six others were brought to the docks at the Old Bailey for an initial hearing.

Three others, Royle's Maidstone-based girlfriend Kim Shackleton, hairdresser Michelle Hogg, from Woolwich, and Yalding sign-writer Keith Borer also appeared in Court No 6.

The 11 are accused of a variety of offences connected to the robbery of the depot in Vale Road, Tonbridge, in February.

They will next appear on Friday, March 16. The trial is due to begin in April, 2007, and is expected to last about four months.

One of the accused, Michelle Hogg, 32, of Brinklow Crescent, Woolwich, applied for the charges against her to be dismissed. This was refused. She stands accused of conspiracy to rob.