Five on da Vinci extortion charge

The men are alleged to have sought £4.25m for the painting's return

Five men have appeared in court accused of demanding £4.25m for the safe return of a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece.

The Madonna with the Yarnwinder was taken from Drumlanrig Castle near Dumfries in August 2003.

The five men - three from Lancashire and two from near Glasgow - have been charged with conspiracy to extort or attempting to extort the money.

Four of them pled not guilty to the charges at the High Court in Glasgow while the fifth made no plea.

The five men are charged with conspiracy to extort or attempting to extort the money from the late Duke of Buccleuch, his son and insurers.

Swiss account

They are also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

Robert Graham, 56, and John Doyle, 59, both of Ormskirk; Calum Jones, 43, of Kilmacolm; and David Boyce, 61, of Airdrie, denied the offences.

Marshall Ronald, 52, of Skelmersdale, made no plea.

The five men appeared at the High Court in Glasgow

The offences are claimed to have taken place between 18 July and 4 October last year.

It is alleged the men contacted a chartered loss adjuster who they believed was working for the insurers saying that they could return the painting within 72 hours.

It is further alleged that they said the painting would not be returned unless £2m was deposited in a client account at Marshall Solicitors of Skelmersdale - formerly known as Marshall Gilby Solicitors - and £2.25m was deposited in a Swiss bank account.

Judge Lord Brailsford continued the case until later this year for a further preliminary hearing.

The painting, which was painted between 1500 and 1530, has an estimated value of £30m.

It belongs to the Duke of Buccleuch and has been in his family for 200 years.