Katie Reynolds, Sam Normoyle, Marina Certo and Carlos Fereira were among 22 men and women arrested in dawn raids on November 10 following a covert police operation that began ten months ago.

The four, all from Leamington, were the first of those arrested to appear in the dock at Warwick Crown Court, and were accused of conspiring to supply heroin and crack cocaine between May and November this year.

They had all been targeted after an undercover officer using the name Craig had posed as a drug-user to buy heroin and crack cocaine from various suspected dealers.

Normoyle, 28, of Aylesford Street, Leamington, pleaded guilty to both charges and Reynolds, 30, of Culworth Close, Leamington, pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply heroin.

The other two denied both conspiracy charges, but Fereira, 36, of Tachbrook Road, Leamington, admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin on May 6.

And Certo, 41, of Arlington Avenue, Leamington, pleaded guilty to supplying a 0.2 gram deal of heroin to 'Craig' on the same date.

Prosecutor Matthew Brook told the court he accepted the pleas, but asked to be given until January 11 to serve the full prosecution papers.

Judge Christopher Hodson, who is dealing with all the cases and others following a similar operation in the Nuneaton area, agreed.

He adjourned the case for that to take place and for pre-sentence reports to be prepared on all four defendants before they are sentenced in February.

Reynolds, Normoyle and Certo were all remanded in custody.

But although Fereira was granted bail with conditions of living at his home address and reporting to Leamington police station on set days, Judge Hodson warned him he could not necessarily expect a lenient sentence.

The others left the dock - but Certo remained to be joined by two more defendants, David Brown and Ryan Watkinson, to face more charges.

Mr Brook said Certo and David Brown both wished to be charged, but the third defendant, Ryan Watkinson, 25, of Humphris Street, Warwick, did not.

Brown, 38, of Falstaff Road, Coventry, then pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply heroin between May and November – on the basis that he only conspired with one other person.

Certo denied that charge, but pleaded guilty to supplying 'Craig' with 0.63 grams of heroin on May 7.

The case against those two was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on Brown, with one already having been ordered for Certo.

Watkinson's case was adjourned for the prosecution papers to be served on the defence prior to a plea and case management hearing on February 8 in front of Judge Hodson.

All three were remanded in custody.