THREE Prees men accused of coming together to supply Class B drugs in Whitchurch have been told they will face trial at Shrewsbury Crown Court this year.

Jakub Molenda, 20 and of no fixed address, 20-year-old Benjamin Shannon, of Mill Street, Prees, and also of Shrewsbury, and Harry Taylor, 22, of Whitchurch Road, all appeared at Telford Magistrates Court on Tuesday, May 31.

The trio stand accused of being concerned in the supply of cannabis and ketamine after they were arrested in a car in Prees in 2020 by police.

Officers later recovered keys to a property where drugs, money and mobile phones were found and taken away.

Shannon pleaded not guilty to three charges – one count of being concerned in the supply of cocaine between July 11, 2019 and November 11, 2020, plus a second count of supplying ketamine during the same period.

He also pleaded not guilty to a third charge of possessing criminal property after he was reportedly found with £1,675 in cash on November 21, 2020.

Meanwhile, Molenda faces the higher number of charges but did not indicate a plea when he appeared in front of the sitting District Judge on Tuesday.

He is accused of five counts overall; two counts of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs after he was found with 972 grams of cannabis and 271.04 grams of ketamine on August 3, 2020.

Molenda is also accused of being convened in the the supply of both drugs plus cocaine through Whitchurch between July 11, 2019 until the day of his arrest on August 3, 2020.

Meanwhile, Taylor also indicated no plea ahead of a potential crown court appearance for two charges of possession with intent to supply a Class B drug.

The 22-year-old was also found by police on August 3, 2020 with cannabis, with two separate amounts of 528 grams and 174.5 grams.

The three defendants were given unconditional bail after an informal but unsuccessful application to bar communication between the three, with the bench stating that the amount of time between arrest and court would be akin to "shutting the stable door after the horse had bolted".

Shannon, Molenda and Taylor will all appear at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Tuesday, June 28, from 9.30am.