Servicemen held in Singapore

Two British servicemen who face at least 12 strokes of the cane and three years in a Singapore jail for stealing Singapore $43 (pounds 18) were remanded in custody for two months yesterday. Richard George Britten, 22, a Royal Marine from Plymouth, and John Thomson King, 20, a Royal Engineer from Aberdeenshire, are charged with robbing a taxi driver in the early hours of 3 May.

Bail was set bail at S$10,000 each. If they can raise the money they could be released later this week. The men were in Singapore serving with the British naval support ship Sir Galahad which was taking part in exercises when the alleged robbery took place.