The leader of a 100-strong group of travellers who illegally occupied a brewery demanded “twenty grand or the place is ours”, a court was told.<\/p>\n
A convoy of 25 vehicles set up camp at Thwaites Brewery in Blackburn on 26 May, Preston Crown Court heard.<\/p>\n
Thomas Ward, 43, of Leigh, Wigan, has pleaded guilty to blackmailing, conspiracy to burgle and conspiracy to commit criminal damage.<\/p>\n
The group later went on the rampage causing extensive damage, jurors heard.<\/p>\n
Jurors heard Thomas Ward, of Aspull Common, told the brewery he wanted \u00a320,000 to leave within the hour after gate locks were broken at the site in Lancashire.<\/p>\n
After some negotiation, Mr Ward agreed to take payment for his demand at noon the next day – 27 May – provided no damage was caused.<\/p>\n
But prosecutors say travellers went on a wrecking spree and ransacked the office building later that afternoon after Mr Ward became convinced he had been duped.<\/p>\n
Staff and police finally gained full access to the brewery two days later and Thwaites chief executive Richard Bailey said he was greeted by a scene of “utter devastation”, with damage estimated at \u00a3300,000, the court heard.<\/p>\n
The presence of the travellers at the site led to 1,700 pints of beer being poured away in case of contamination.<\/p>\n
Mr Ward has pleaded guilty to blackmail and conspiracy offences while his co-accused John Ward, 33, also of Aspull Common, and a 17-year-old male, who cannot be named because of his age, also admitted the conspiracy offences.<\/p>\n
A fourth defendant, Patrick Ward, 32, of Aspull Common, who has pleaded not guilty to the same conspiracy offences, is on trial in his absence.<\/p>\n
The court heard CCTV – which also showed young children playing in the yard – stopped recording when the power was cut on site shortly before 18:00 on 27 May.<\/p>\n
Kimberley Obrusik, prosecuting, said Patrick Ward from Aspull Common was one of the offenders caught on CCTV stealing items at the brewery.<\/p>\n
Jurors were told he denies it was him, although he accepts he was in the area at nearby Morrison’s supermarket and Gala Bingo on the same day.<\/p>\n
The trial continues.<\/p>\n
Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"