EIGHT members of an alleged Teifi Valley poaching gang have appeared in court at Aberystwyth charged with a string of offences dating back almost twenty years.

The charges they face are the culmination of a long-running investigation into the poaching of salmon and other fish on the River Teifi by officers from Natural Resources Wales.

Emlyn James Rees, of Dan y Graig, Cenarth, Newcastle Emlyn; Ashley Lloyd Davies, of Penwaun Villa, Cardigan; Colin Stephen Gentle, of Broyan Road, Penbryn, Cardigan; Andrew Lewer, of Williams Street, Cardigan; Nathan Pearson, of Leonard Street, Cob Lane, Kelbrook, Barnoldswick, Yorkshire; Matthew Phillips, of Maes Henffordd, Cardigan; Carl Rago, of Penffynon, Cilgerran and Dafydd Wyn Rees, of Williams Terrace, Cardigan, did not enter any pleas when they appeared at Aberystwyth Justice Centre.

All eight defendants were remanded on unconditional bail until their next hearing on April 4.

Emlyn Rees, 35, Davies, 37, Gentle, 56, Lewer, 33, Pearson, 25, Phillips, 35, Rago, 25, and 34-year-old Dafydd Rees, are accused of a variety of poaching offences between January 2001 and December 2020.

Davies, Gentle, Lewer, Pearson, Phillips, and Rago are all charged with being concerned with Emlyn James Rees in receiving fish or assisting in their removal.

Phillips, Rago and Dafydd Rees are also charged with multiple counts of the unauthorised taking of fish by fishing or illegally-set net between 2005 and 2016.

In addition, Emlyn James Rees faces 11 charges including the unauthorised taking of fish on numerous occasions, and receiving poached fish ‘on at least 373 occasions’ between 2001 and 2020.