British antiques dealer pleads innocent in theft of Shakespeare first edition

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UK man denies charge of stealing Shakespeare book

LONDON — A British antiques dealer has pleaded not guilty to stealing a rare first edition of the works of William Shakespeare.

Raymond Scott appeared Friday in a court in Newcastle in northeastern England. He is charged with theft, handling stolen goods and removing criminal property. His trial was set for June.

The 53-year-old Scott is accused of taking the rare volume from Durham University in 1998. His arrest came after a man took the edition to the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, claiming he had found it in Cuba.

Scott, who arrived at a previous court hearing in a horse-drawn carriage, appeared Friday in military fatigues and an expensive pair of Tiffany sunglasses.