Three men accused of involvement in multi-million pound financial crimes have made a further court appearance.

Edward Watkin Gittins, aged 75, of Ballavale Road, Santon, is charged with eight counts of theft, three counts of false accounting, three counts of converting criminal property, three counts of transferring criminal property, one count of fraud by abuse of position, and one count of carrying on with regulated activity, not in accordance with a licence.

Sixty-four-year-old Paul Garrett, aged 64, of Station Road, St John’s, is charged with five counts of theft, and two counts of converting criminal property.

Nigel Graeme Kneale, aged 58, of Windermere Avenue, Onchan, is accused of four counts of theft.

They appeared before Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood on January 20.

The defendants have indicated they wish to challenge committal to the Court of General Gaol Delivery on the basis that there is no case to answer.

Mr Gittins was represented in court by advocate Laurence Vaughan-Williams, but is currently applying for a temporary advocates licence, so that a UK-based advocate can represent him.

Mr Vaughan-Williams is making an application to call two prosecution witnesses at a contested committal hearing, but this will be resisted by the prosecuting advocate James Robinson, who says that there is no right to do so at that stage, unless in limited exceptional circumstances.

Mr Kneale, who was represented by advocate Jim Travers, and Mr Garrett, who was also represented by Mr Vaughan-Williams, are not making the same application.

Deputy High Bailiff Ms Braidwood said that she will have to examine the case papers before making a decision on whether the witnesses may be called at the committal hearing stage.

A hearing to deal with that issue has been scheduled for April 8.

Bail continues for all three defendants.