Six to face charges of dealing in drugs

10:58am Thursday 30th October 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

A MAN from Bidford has appeared in court, one of six men arrested as part of an investigation into the drugs trade.

The six, from Alcester, Stratford, Bidford, Kenilworth and Knowle, were arrested as part of an investigation into the distribution of large quantities of cocaine and cannabis.

Four of them were arrested during simultaneous raids on their homes at 6am on Thursday, September 11, while the other two were arrested when they answered bail after having been questioned previously.

On Monday, all six appeared in court together for a preliminary hearing at Warwick Crown Court.

Prosecutor Louise Pierpoint said that Ian Herdman, aged 35, of Alcester Road, Stratford, had been charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine between the beginning of February and the end of July this year.

Andreas Constantinou, 40, of Abbots Close, Knowle, Philip Taylor, 32, of Burns Close, Stratford, and Carl Goode, 39, of Castle Road, Alcester, are also charged with conspiring together and with Herdman to supply cocaine.

Paul Allton, 25, of Tower Hill, Bidford, Norman Fox, 35, of Beech Drive, Kenilworth, and Herdman have been charged with conspiring to supply cannabis between July and December last year. Fox is also facing charges of perverting the course of justice in February and possessing a CS gas spray on the day he was arrested, while Goode faces a further charge of possessing cannabis on a date in April.

At Mrs Pierpoint’s request, the case was adjourned for a plea and case management hearing to take place in the new year after the prosecution papers have been prepared and served on the defence.

All six men were granted bail by Judge Marten Coates with conditions that they do not associate with each other and do not contact prosecution witnesses.