Lake Macquarie: Nathan Jarrett, 38, and Gareth Slade, 49, charged with allegedly stealing copper cabling

FIRST PHOTOS: Two men have faced court for the first time charged with allegedly stealing copper cable from a property at Lake Macquarie.

Nathan Jarrett, 38 of Cooranbong (left), and Gareth Slade, 49, of Dora Creek, leaving Toronto Local Court charged with stealing copper cable from a property on Wangi Rd, Myuna Bay. Picture: NewsLocal

Two men charged over the alleged theft of copper cabling from a Lake Macquarie property have entered different pleas to the same offences.

Gareth Slade, 49, of Dora Creek, and Nathan Jarrett, 38, of Cooranbong, both faced Toronto Local Court on Tuesday charged with larceny, trespassing and trespassing with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Slade was represented by Legal Aid solicitor Matthew Spicer who entered pleas of not guilty to larceny and trespassing with intent to commit an indictable offence.

However, Slade did plead guilty to the lesser count of trespassing; being entering enclosed lands without a lawful excuse.

Jarrett, meanwhile, was represented by Legal Aid solicitor Jordan Moussa who entered a plea of guilty to trespassing with intent to commit an indictable offence.

The men have been charged with allegedly stealing copper cabling. (File image)

Mr Moussa did not enter pleas to the other two alleged offences.

The police prosecutor told the court he would check with the officer in charge of the investigation to see whether these were considered “back up” offences and would be withdrawn following a guilty plea to the main trespassing offence.

After their arrest the pair were taken to Toronto police station where they were charged with larceny and two counts of trespassing. Credit: Facebook

The pair were arrested after police were called to a property on Wangi Rd, Myuna Bay, about 5pm on August 2 following reports that copper cables were being stolen.

At the scene, police located the two men who officers will allege in court were removing copper cables and preparing to load the cables into a vehicle.

Slade and Jarrett were arrested at the scene before being taken to Toronto police station where they were charged and granted conditional bail.

In court, the lawyers for both men sought minor variations to their client’s bail to allow them to live at addresses at Cooranbong and Dora Creek while Jarrett also had his curfew eased from 7pm daily to 9pm.

Bail was continued for both men to return to court on September 12.

The two men are the latest in a string of arrests across Lake Macquarie and the northern end of the Central Coast over the alleged theft of copper cabling in the past six month.

Police are urging anyone with information about copper theft to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000.