FIVE men alleged to have been involved in supplying drugs in Pembrokeshire have had their case adjourned due to barristers' industrial action.

Daniel Ferman, of Maesy Mynydd, Newport, Ben Goldfuss-Tanner, of Gaerludd, Crymych, Brian Kerley, of Clos yr Helyg, Crymych, James Tinker, of Parc y Trap Road, Adpar, Newcastle Emlyn, and John Miles, of Lower Kingswood, Surrey, were all expected to submit pleas today, August 1, at Swansea Crown Court, however three of the defendants were unrepresented because their barristers were on strike, one had not yet been assigned a barrister, and one could not attend court due to testing positive for Covid.

Ferman, 31, faces two charges of being concerned in supplying Class A cocaine and Class B cannabis between June 2019 and April 2020.

Goldfuss-Tanner, 24, has been charged with being concerned in supplying Class B cannabis on March 10, 2021 and two additional charges of possessing 23.31g of cannabis and 0.19g of the illegal Class A drug Psilocin (mushrooms).

Kerley, 29, is charged with being concerned in the supply of Class B cannabis between March 2019 and June 2019 and of being concerned in the supply of cocaine between May 2019 and June 2019.

Tinker, 39, is charged with supplying Class B cannabis between February and April 2020.

Miles, 49, is charged with possessing 286.3g of  Class B cannabis with intent to supply and two further charges of being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis.

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Barristers are going on strike to push the government to uplift rates by 25%.

Criminal Bar Association members have voted in support of action, including court walkouts and refusing to accept new instructions.

The action, which began in April, has ran through June and July.

The latest action sees a five-day walkout from today, August 1.

There is an estimated backlog of 58,000 cases.

His Honour Judge Huw Rees, who presided over today’s hearings, said there is nothing to be done about the industrial action and that it was no one’s fault.

He did however question why the charges had been hanging over the defendants for so long – in some cases three years.

Ferman, Goldfuss-Tanner, Tinker, Kerley and Miles will next be in court on August 22 to submit their pleas. They were all released on unconditional bail.

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