TWO men have been remanded in custody for allegedly conspiring to murder gangland drugs boss Billy Webb.

Breightmet-born Brian Roper, aged 24, of Bury Road, Bolton, and Paul Swann, aged 24, from Chorley, will appear at Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday.

They will be joined by Sarah Barber, aged 23, of Crosby Road, Heaton, and Julie Hardman, aged 20, of Hastings Road, Heaton, who are both charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice for allegedly providing a false alibi for Roper.

The four appeared at Wigan Magistrates Court yesterday after answering police bail at Wigan Police Station.

Roper, Hardman and Barber appeared together.

Blonde-haired Hardman, who wore a smart, black suit, and Barber, wearing her black hair in a pony tail, were bailed on condition they visit Bolton Central police station on Monday and Thursday between the hours of noon and 2pm.

Swann, who appeared an hour after his co-accused, was refused bail.

Billy Webb, aged 42, was shot dead in his bed at his Wigan home last year. He was shot in the chest at point blank range at a flat in Bryn as he was waiting to stand trial.

Webb was one of nine men charged with conspiracy to supply drugs worth millions of pounds. After his shooting, three Bolton drug dealers were jailed for running a multi-million pound operation.