EIGHT defendants will stand trial for six weeks to face accusations of drug dealing and smuggling goods into prison.

Daisy Engledow, 23, Shannen Taylor, 30, Murshed Uddin, 27, Gavin Davis, 40, and Christian Davis, 19, appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday to face charges dating back to 2020 and 2021.

Darren Stracey, 42, Suzanne Stevenson, 41, and Abdul Hamid, 37, were not present at the hearing and unable to enter pleas.

On count one, all the defendants except Christian Davis are accused of conspiring to convey the drugs tamoxifen and oxandrolone into Chelmsford Prison between July and November of 2020.

Date - the trial is scheduled to take place next SeptemberDate - the trial is scheduled to take place next September (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

Taylor, of Burnham Road, Latchingdon, Uddin, of Mundon Road, Maldon, and Gavin Davis, of Grooms Lane, Silver End, denied the charge.

Engledow, of Victoria Road, Maldon, did not enter a plea.

The same seven defendants are accused of conspiring to convey two Samsung Galaxy S7 mobile phones, an iPhone, and a Zanco mobile into prison over the same period.

Gavin Davis admitted the charge.

Taylor, Engledow, and Uddin all denied the allegation.

Stracey, of Cheryl Court, Clacton, Stevenson, of no fixed address, and Taylor are accused on count three of dealing cocaine between September and November 2020.

Taylor denies the charge.

On count four, Stracey and Stevenson are charged with possession of an electronic stun device in April 2021, and on count five they are accused alongside Christian Davis of being concerned in the production of cannabis in November 2020.

Davis denied the charge.

On count six, Stracey, Stevenson and Gavin and Christian Davis are accused of possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

Davis and Davis denied the charge.

On count seven, Stracey, Stevenson, and Christian Davis are accused of possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

Davis denied the charge.

On count eight, Stracey and Stevenson are charged with possession of amphetamine with intent to supply.

Prison - the defendants are accused of smuggling items into HMP ChelmsfordPrison - the defendants are accused of smuggling items into HMP Chelmsford (Image: Google Street View)

Gavin Davis denied two further charges of possessing a class A drug with intent to supply.

Abdul Hamid is charged with three counts of possession of prohibited items in prison - three iPhones.

He is also charged with unauthorised transmission of image or sound by electronic communication from inside a prison.

The trial is expected to begin in September next year.