SIX men have appeared before a court accused of being part of a 13-month plot to supply heroin in Carlisle.

At the city’s Rickergate court, the six men were told that their case was so serious that it will have to be dealt with by a judge at the city’s crown court. None have yet formally entered a plea to the allegation they jointly face.

Prosecutors say that they all conspired to supply the class A drug between March 20, 2020 and May 10 of last year. Appearing before the court were:

Gavin Fletcher, 42, of Howard Street, Penrith.

Kieran Lowe, 42, of Baird Road, Carlisle.

Darren Murphy, 35, whose address was not given in court.

Jonathan Scott, 33, whose address was also not given.

Jamie Rigby, 22, whose address was also not given.

Carl Watterson, 34, whose address was also not given.

Two more defendants were not in court for their cases to be dealt with, despite them being listed to be heard along with the other six accused. They were Neil Edgar, 50, and Sharon Beattie, 51.

Addresses were not provided for either defendant.

All eight defendants face the following allegation: “That between March 20, 2020, and May 10, 2021, at Carlisle in the county of Cumbria they conspired with another person to supply a quantity of diamorphine [heroin], a controlled drug of class A.”

Addresses were not provided for either defendant.

After hearing from lawyers for the six defendants who were in court, magistrates sent their cases to Carlisle Crown Court for a hearing on August 18. All six defendants were granted unconditional bail until that day.

Murphy, Scott and Watterson appeared before the court via video links from Liverpool.