More charges are likely in a major police investigation into an alleged stolen Land Rover racket, centred on two business parks in the Forest of Dean, a court was told this week.

So far three men have been charged with conspiracy to receive stolen Land Rovers, but prosecutor Mary Cowe told Gloucester Crown Court that, by the trial date in October, there were likely to be "between eight and ten in the dock."

Car dealer Edward Barrington, 27, of Wellington Terrace, Newnham on Severn, Glos, appeared in the dock with Gavin Wroe, 48, of Lords Gate, Coleford, and Stephen Goode, 44, of Gloucester Road, Coleford.

They are all charged with conspiring with others between 25th May and 28th June last year to dishonestly assist in the disposal of stolen vehicles, knowing or believing the vehicles to be stolen, at Sling and Parkend.

The prosecution allege the conspirators were involved in breaking them down for parts at a business yard in the Forest, or by moving them on to be sold intact.

Ms Cowe told the court that the police had identified approximately stolen 55 vehicles from watching three months' worth of CCTV coverage of the yard.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC ruled that the case had become so large that it was necessary to transfer it to Bristol crown court.

Ms Cowe said that others had been arrested including Barrington's father Michael Fear, and Fear's partner Victoria Morris, and they are to be charged soon.

Ms Cowe added that there were at least three to four other people that the police want to interview saying: "Everyone the police wish to speak to has been identified."

At a previous hearing, the court was told that Barrington had refused to tell the police the PIN for his mobile phone. Ms Cowe told the judge that phone had now been unlocked by investigating officers and was being examined by the high-tech unit.

She said it would take a little while to download and analyse the data on the device.

Ms Cowe alleged that Barrington ran the operation and that "hundreds of thousands of pounds" passed through his bank account.

She said it is the Crown's case that Goode and Wroe were further down the chain of command but "knew the extent of the conspiracy."

The police investigation began when six stolen 4x4 vehicles worth up to around £40,000 each were discovered at a business park in Sling, nr Coleford.

The site, along with another unit advertising Land Rover spares at a business park on Cannop Road in Parkend, was then fully searched by officers.

The three men were granted bail to a pre-trial and preparation hearing on 30th April at Bristol Crown Court.

The trial is scheduled for six weeks, starting on 8th October in Bristol.