NINE men and a woman arrested as part of a police operation against street drug dealing in Torbay have appeared before resort magistrates.

They were all arrested as part of Operation Tucker which saw police continue their crackdown on dealing in Class A drugs on the streets of Torquay and Paignton.

Six men and one woman pleaded guilty to drug charges and have been committed for sentence at Exeter Crown Court on October 4.

Prosecutor Christopher Bittlestone said: "Covert officers went into town centres to be part of the drugs scene, to seek people and establish contacts.

"People gave the information, pointed them in the right direction and people supplied them drugs."

Robert Bradley, 60, of Dartmouth Road, Paignton, pleaded guilty to three charges of supplying heroin in Paignton.

Darren McLaughlin, 20, of Bampfylde Road, Torquay, pleaded guilty to two offences of being concerned in the supply of heroin.

John Kinghorn, 34, of Factory Row, Torquay, pleaded guilty to supplying heroin and to possession of heroin.

Darren Batchelor, 40, from Colley End Road, Paignton pleaded guilty to supplying heroin.

Lisa Devine, 39, from Lichfield Avenue, Torquay pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin.

Matthew Jackson, 30, of Winner Street, Paignton, admitted one charge of supplying heroin, two counts of being concerned in the supply of the drug and two counts of offering to supply the drug.

Mark Gyacsek, 35, of Garfield Road, Paignton pleaded guilty to two counts of offering to supply heroin and two counts of being concerned in its supply.

Bradley, Batchelor, Devine and Jackson were remanded in custody until sentence at Exeter Crown Court on October 4.

McLaughlin, Gyacsek and Kinghorn were remanded on bail.

Simon King, 28, of Barton Drive, Paignton, entered no plea to a charge of possession of heroin. Magistrates declined jurisdiction of the case which was adjourned to October 29 for committal to Exeter Crown Court. He was granted bail.

David Barlow, 33, of Church Street, Paignton, entered no plea to two counts of supplying heroin. Matthew Taylor, 33, of Park Hill Road entered no plea to one charge of supplying heroin. Both were remanded in custody until a further video-link hearing at Torquay magistrates today.