A JOBLESS, homeless man has been accused of being part of a gang which stole money from The Office star Ricky Gervais.

Kenneth Speight, aged 39, from Erith, faced three charges of conspiracy to defraud when he appeared at Southwark Crown Court.

The gang is alleged to have targeted three people in a sting which would have netted £350,000. They are accused of forging the comedian's passport and then syphoning off £196,000 from his account, intending to use it to buy gold bullion.

Gang members are also accused of taking £123,000 from a wealthy consultant in Wales and attempting to transfer £30,000 from another businessman's account.

Other accused gang members are Sharonjeet Snobber, aged 28, from Southampton, who worked in NatWest's Southampton call centre; Javed Mushtaq, aged 43, from Crawley, West Sussex; Craig Reeves, aged 28, from Alton, Hampshire; and Harry Peach, aged 57, from Leatherhead, Surrey, who all worked for a bullion courier company in Surrey.

They all deny three charges of conspiracy to defraud and will stand trial later this month.

Speight was remanded in custody until December 8 for a plea and directions hearing.