Canterbury Crown Court

by Paul Hooper

The jury in a drugs and illegal weapons case has been given a lesson in "rokker" - a language spoken by gypsies.

It follows a raid on land in West Malling in October last year used by the travelling community.

The prosecution alleges that illegal drugs and a number of guns were found by officers on the land at Hoath Wood.

During the raid two of the men accused of being part of the gang were placed in a police car and videoed.

Canterbury Crown Court heard that part of their conversation on the tape - which was shown to the jury - involved terms spoken by gypsies.

They heard that rokker had its origins in the Urdu language from the 1500s.

Kent police officer Sergeant Clive Garton, a member of the Rural Technical Support Group told the jury that the man who controlled the site was Joseph King.

a guide to rokker

mush: a man

gillie: man of some importance - more than a mush

fakement: something in its complete form

nixes: nothing

pookering: to watch or see

cur: to take or find something

pug: a place where something is hid

classic pug: a good hiding place
folkies: non-travelling people

chavvie: a child or someone young

bar: pounds (money)

cuver: a thing

King, 38, from Lavender Road West Malling has denied seven charges of possessing amphetamines with intent to supply, conspiring to supply drugs and possessing firearms with intent to endanger life.

His brother, Samuel King, 47, from Elm Grove, Sittingbourne, has admitted two charges of conspiracy to supply drugs but denies another conspiracy charge, possessing amphetamines and possessing the firearms.

Craig Provan, 41, of The Paddock, Highsted Valley, Rodesham, has admitted encouraging the supply of cannabis but not guilty to two charges of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

A fourth man has admitted three conspiracy charges and awaits sentence.

Sgt Garton told the court: "As a member of the TSG I would come into regular contact with the Hoath Wood site.

"I have visited the site about every month for the past six years. Every time that I have attended that site I always sought out Mr Joseph King to seek his permission to be on that site, because it's a private site.

"He has always granted permission but it is clear that he controls that site."

The prosecution alleged that a drugs gang - run from Hoath Wood - was dealing in cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, cannabis and amphetamines.

The trial continues.