A drugs trial involving three brothers who peddled crack cocaine from a restaurant has been abandoned following the illness of a key witness.

The jury in the case at Doncaster Crown Court against Aklu Miah, Babru Miah and Fojlu Miah, all of Keighley, and charged with conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine, has been discharged. A new jury will be sworn in, in time for a new trial to start again at Doncaster, in May.

All three men were on Monday remanded in custody and a fourth person, Jane Thomas, 23, now of Manchester, who is charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs, was remanded on bail. All four have pleaded not guilty.

Former Detective Constable Mick May became ill last Friday when giving evidence. He was unable to resume on Monday and the case was stopped.

Crown Court listing's officer Adrian Cooper said: "The trial has been abandoned and the jury discharged. A new one will be sworn in and a new trial is expected to start on May 8."

The trial opened on January 12, but the jury had to be discharged after a juror's eligibility was questioned. A new jury was sworn in and the trial started on January 13.

The trial so far is expected to have cost in the region of £30,000.

Det Insp Neil Thewsey, of Skipton police, says: "The witness started to give evidence last week but became ill. The trial was stopped. It can't go ahead without him and the trial is likely to resume in May."

The jury has heard that the brothers, led by 23 year-old Aklu Miah, of Bradford Road, Keighley, were alleged to operated drug dealing houses and contacts throughout Bradford and Skipton.

They also dealt from the Taste of Bengal restaurant, in Skipton, during 1998, and used premises in Devonshire Street, Keighley, Western Road, Skipton and a flat above a Baker's shop, in Russell Street, Skipton, to weigh and sell heroin and cocaine.

A witness, Karen Syers, Aklu Miah's former girlfriend, told how she and Miah would travel to the Esso petrol station, in Toller Lane, Bradford, to pick up heroin and cocaine before returning to houses in Bingley or Keighley to hide them.

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