FIVE men charged with drug smuggling in connection with £500,000 worth of cannabis found in a field at L’Etacq in October 2003 will be tried in front of an Assize jury in the Royal Court next month.

All five have denied the offence.

Four of the accused entered not guilty pleas in the Royal Court yesterday afternoon, when they appeared before Sir Richard Tucker, Royal Court Commissioner.

Richard Charles Robert Styles (35), who was arrested in Hertfordshire in January, had previously pleaded not guilty at a separate hearing.

Joseph Ian Day, Joseph Thomas Carney, Timothy Christopher James and Cliff Alberto de Souza all denied conspiring with each other and others to to import the class B drug.

Day (35), a former child protection officer for Liverpool social services, made an application for bail that was refused by the court.

All five were were remanded into custody until 28 November, when their trial by jury is due to start.

Sir Richard was sitting with Jurats Georgelin and Le Cornu.