A PRISONER who made a rude hand gesture while appearing on video link equipment at Liverpool Crown Court has been warned he may face contempt proceedings.

Lee Draper was one of four young men who appeared together via the new technology from prison and he was seen making the sign while one of his co-accused was having the charge put to him. Judge Nigel Gilmour, QC, immediately stopped proceedings and said that he had seen him making the two-fingured gesture towards the camera while one of his co-accused was being arraigned at a different prison. He ordered that Draper, aged 26, of Bond Street, Leigh, should have legal advice about whether his behaviour amounted to contempt and ordered that he is produced at court on Friday.

The drugs charges against the men, also from Leigh, were adjourned until November 3. They were Paul Hilton, 23, of Hope Carr Road; Michael McMullen, 26, of Hurst Street; Stuart Miller, 33, of Kensington Avenue, and Mark Constantine, 29, of Charles Street.

Draper, McMullen and Constantine are accused of conspiring to supply heroin. McMullen and Miller also face charges of supplying heroin and Constantine faces a charge of possessing heroin with intent to supply. Hilton pleaded guilty to being concerned in supplying heroin to an under-cover police officer and possessing heroin.

A PRISONER who made a rude hand gesture while appearing on video link equipment at Liverpool Crown Court has been warned he may face contempt proceedings. Lee Draper was one of four young men who appeared together via the video link from prison yesterday and he was seen making the sign while one of his co-accused was having the charge put to him. Judge Nigel Gilmour, QC, immediately stopped proceedings and said that he had seen him making the two-fingured gesture towards the camera while one of his co-accused was being arraigned at a different prison. He ordered that Draper, aged 26, of Bond Street, Leigh, should have legal advice about whether his behaviour amounted to contempt and ordered that he is produced at court on Friday.

The drugs charges against the men, also from Leigh, were adjourned until November 3.

They were Paul Hilton, 23, of Hope Carr Road; Michael McMullen, 26, of Hurst Street; Stuart Miller, 33, of Kensington Avenue, and Mark Constantine, 29, of Charles Street.