A woman from York will stand trial next month alongside two people from Oldham accused of being involved in an operation to supply drugs. 

Ashley Caveney, 28, Nicole Crighton, 22 and Michelle Simpson, 48, are due to go on trial together.

They are accused of conspiring, with others, to supply heroin and cocaine between April and June of last year.

Simpson, from Wilberforce Avenue in York, Caveney, from Alva Road in Oldham, and Crighton, from Wilson Way in Oldham, had previously all entered not guilty pleas to the allegations.

The offences are said to have taken place across Manchester, York and Oldham.

They had all been charged with conspiring to transport a person in contravention of the Modern Slavery Act but prosecutors agreed at an earlier hearing to present no evidence on this and not guilty pleas were accepted.

The trial date was fixed by Judge John Potter during a pretrial hearing at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court yesterday.

The court heard one police officer is expected to take to the stand during the trial, which is expected to last for three days.

Other people are expected to go on trial in relation to the same allegation later this year.

The separate trials are due to the fact there is a maximum on the number of people who are capable of being tried at the same time.

The charges came after police raided a total of ten homes in Greater Manchester in Yorkshire in October last year as part of their investigation in an operation codenamed Homestead.

Two people have already admitted their involvement in the offences.

Marc Simpson, 55 and from of Wilberforce Avenue in York, admitted conspiring to supply heroin between April and June last year.

He was also acquitted of the modern slavery allegation and a not guilty plea to conspiring to supply cocaine was also accepted.

Jack Smedley, 24 and from Heppleton Road in New Motson, also admitted being involved in conspiring to supply heroin and cocaine over this time period.

They will be sentenced after the outcome of trials of their co-accused.