NO doubt some sort of rocket for the police was called for when magistrates at Blackburn rejected an application for yet another adjournment in a case that had been going on for an incredible 251 days since last January but had not really started because the bobbies still had not given the Crown Prosecution Service all the information they needed.

Yet if after five previous adjournments they deserved a rap over the knuckles from petty sessions chairman Neville Cordingly -- who said he wanted to send a message to the police that such a delay was not acceptable -- did it necessitate the accused walking free as a result?

The man in question was, after all, accused of drug dealing.

And though they entailed the supply and possession of cannabis rather than drugs of a more serious class, the charges were deemed grave enough for the case to be referred for trial at Crown Court.

Will it be a satisfactory outcome if the case is never heard as a result?

Surely, is not a fair trial the way to justice in this case, not no trial at all. There must be no plodding by the police on re-activating the case.