A 31-YEAR-OLD man accused of conspiring with others to supply cocaine has denied running a major drugs network in Worcester.

Ashley James is standing trial at Worcester Crown Court alongside eight others who are charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine, between September 6, 2011, and October 6, 2015.

James, of Cherington Close, Worcester, has admitted dealing cannabis and dimethocaine (DMC) but denies the cocaine plot. He and his partner Elizabeth Cottle, aged 25, also of Cherington Close, also deny conspiracy to conceal criminal property between 2011 and 2015.

James also denies conspiracy to pervert the course of justice between October 5 and October 9, 2015.

Also on trial accused of conspiracy to supply cocaine are Lee Bryant, 49, of Selborne Road West, Barbourne, Worcester; David Warren, 41, of Grasmere Drive, Warndon, Worcester; Deborah Crowther, 50; Todd Porter, 31 and Tiffany Porter, 21, all of Hollymount Road, Tolladine, Worcester; James Jones, 42, of Tolladine Road, Worcester and Liam Pearson, 51, of Aylton Road, Liverpool.

In court yesterday, James denied his involvement in the sale of crack cocaine, saying “I wouldn’t move it – it is a worse drug, a dependant drug.”

The court has previously heard that a Chris Cornes and Marcus Henney were caught by police with a JD Sports bag containing £15,000 to £22,000 worth of cocaine after being spotted in a Silver Ford Focus in 2015, and that Todd Porter’s fingerprints were on the bag.

On the day of that arrest, a number of phone calls and attempted calls took place between James, Porter and Cornes, the court head.

James claimed the conversations were arranging to meet to go to the gym then a meal later at Burger Works, in Friar Street, Worcester.

But the court heard how in calls, James and Jones had openly discussed ditching phones in reference to Cornes’ arrest.

James said this was to protect his cannabis and DMC business.

But prosecutor John Butterfield said: “Of course you wanted to distance yourselves from his arrest because it was your cocaine network.”

The prosecution referenced the arrested of Thomas Day on May 8, 2015 and argued his phone links to some of the defendants on trial.

Mr Butterfield said: “All these people seem to link –it is a fair comment. The reason why they all link is because they are all part of a cocaine selling network.”

But James said: “No, I don’t think so.”

James said he had stopped selling cannabis and DMC when he was arrested.

But Mr Butterfield said James would not have stopped dealing without police intervention.

But James said: “I have had a daughter and I would never have done that with her.”

The trial continues.