THE antiques dealer who went on the run for nearly four years and became one of the country’s “most wanted men” has claimed he had a “reasonable excuse” for not attending York Crown Court.

Michael Edward Kenny, 50, was convicted and sentenced to prison in his absence after he skipped bail half-way through his 2007 trial for burgling six country houses in North Yorkshire and stealing art and valuables worth more than £35,000.

He was arrested on a bench warrant in Luton on Friday, held at Bedford Prison for a time and then sent by prison escort to the court where he should have attended more than three years earlier.

Appearing without a lawyer, Kenny, formerly of Finchley, London, admitted he had not attended court on the day he was due to start his defence, adding “but not without reasonable excuse”.

He handed a letter giving his reasons to the Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, who said he needed to take legal advice before his case was heard. The case was adjourned until today.

Kenny faces a charge of failure to attend court without a reasonable excuse, which could add up to 12 months to his sentence.