A BLIND and partially deaf Bradford man has gone on trial, accused of being the principal player in a conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Rizwan Arshad, 33, of Lower Rushton Road, Thornbury, is charged with conspiracy, along with Fezan Mahmood, 22, also of Lower Rushton Road; and Abbas Sohrabi, 29, of Arncliffe Road, Eastmoor, Wakefield.

Prosecutor David Hall told a jury at Bradford Crown Court yesterday that the defendants conspired together to supply class A drugs - heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine. He alleged that Arshad was the principal player in facilitating the supply of drugs.

Mr Hall said there had been a lot of covert surveillance of the defendants by police officers.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC told the jury that Arshad was blind and partially deaf, but the prosecution insisted they were no bar to his involvement.

At the start of the trial, Mohammed Nawaz, 45, of St Michael's Road, White Abbey, Bradford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy. He will be sentenced later.

The prosecution offered no evidence against Nawaz's son, Amar Nawaz Khan, 18, of St Michael's Road, who had denied conspiracy.

Clare Wallace, of Arncliffe Road, Wakefield, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs; and Samantha Colquohon, 28, of Horse Bank Drive, Huddersfield, admitted permitting the use of premises for the supply of class A drugs. They will be sentenced later.

The trial continues.