Policeman remanded on drugs charges

Exeter Magistrates Court, where the men appeared

A police officer has appeared in court accused of disclosing information on alleged drug offences.

Patrick Maloney, 38, of Plymouth, was one of 10 people arrested in raids on Sunday.

He was remanded in custody by magistrates at Exeter on Tuesday.

Mr Maloney, of Church Way, Weston Mill, Plymouth, was charged with conspiring to obtain or supply a controlled drug between 1 August 1999 and 9 July this year.

He was also charged with perverting the course of justice by disclosing police information.

A serving Royal Marine, Fendon Silvest, 31, faced the same charge of conspiracy to obtain or supply drugs, along with Ronald Smith, 40, of Langdale Gardens, Estover, and Stuart Core, 22, of Corporation Road, Plymouth.

Mr Silvest gave the city's Stonehouse barracks as his address.

Three other men, all living in Plymouth, faced the same charge and an additional one of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

They were Martin Kenny, 40, of The Venue nightclub in Union Street, Warren Cooper, 32, of Holland Road, Peverell, and Vaughn Cohen, 26, of Hamilton Gardens.

All seven were remanded in custody to appear at Exeter Crown Court on 17 July.

A man and two women - including two police support workers - were released on police bail after the arrests on Sunday.