Lawyers for four Mounties, including a former Langley officer, charged in connection with the Surrey Six murder investigation are back on the case but the trial will be delayed, court heard Thursday.

The lawyers for the accused withdrew from the case in September following difficulties getting legal funding from the RCMP. But during a brief appearance in B.C. Supreme Court Thursday, the lawyers advised Justice Arne Silverman that they had been retained to represent the accused.

"Great news, good work," said the judge.

Michael Klein, a lawyer representing accused Sgt. David Attew, told the judge it was unlikely they would be able to accommodate the September trial date but asked to preserve the court time to deal with pre-trial motions.

"We'd like to come back in a month's time and have a schedule to accommodate the motions."

Special prosecutor Chris Considine told the judge that, realistically, he doubted the trial could go ahead in the fall, saying there was still some disclosure to be made to the defence.

Outside court, the defence lawyers declined to comment on whether the RCMP had now provided legal funding.

It was unclear when the new trial will be. The next court appearance is April 2.

Attew faces six counts, including claiming false expenses, falsifying overtime claims and compromising the safety of a witness, identified only as Jane Doe.

Sgt. Derek Brassington, a former Langley investigator, is charged with seven offences, including breach of trust, fraud, obstruction of justice and compromising the safety of a witness.

Cpl. Paul Johnston and Cpl. Danny Michaud face four and three charges, respectively.

- Keith Fraser is a Vancouver Province reporter