TWO Newcastle developers have been charged with allegedly stealing items from a partially-built house at Gillieston Heights.
Daniel Roberts, 36, of Wallsend, and Tellakula Gowri Shankar Shashanth, 41, of North Lambton, pleaded not guilty to larceny in Maitland Local Court on Wednesday.
The pair are accused of stealing property valued at $8000, including two split system air conditioners, tiles, lights and freestanding baths.
According to a court attendance notice, police will allege the items were owned by Phillip Kapeller, of Gillieston Heights.
It is alleged the theft happened between 9am and 5 pm on March 17, 2017, at Gillieston Heights.
The men did not appear in court on Wednesday, instead a solicitor entered not guilty pleas on their behalf.
The matter will be mentioned in Maitland Court on April 27 and is expected go to a hearing at a later date.
The Newcastle Herald has previously reported on a long and complicated history between the two men and Mr Kapeller's family.
Mr Kapeller and his wife Rachael Cesnick saved for years to build their dream home in James Leslie Drive at Gillieston Heights.
Last year, after more than 12 court appearances, the couple won a case against the company responsible for the build, BH Australia Constructions, previously known as Blissful Constructions.
NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) Senior Member David Goldstein ordered BH Australia Constructions, previously known as Blissful Constructions, to pay the couple $191,366 "immediately" for incomplete and defective works.
Mr Roberts and Mr Shankar are former shareholders of the company and Mr's Shankar's wife Aarthi Dhandayutham is the sole director.
The business partners are now working on a multi-million dollar development under construction at Abel Street, Wallsend.
The 3480-square-metre property was purchased in June 2017 by BH Australia Constructions for $1.35 million.
The site was sold about a year later to another related company called Abel Street Developments.
Mr Shankar is the director of Abel Street Developments and he and Mr Roberts are listed as the shareholders.
According to a development application approved by City of Newcastle, there are plans to build 20 attached two-storey dwellings at a cost of more than $2 million.
