The trial of two men accused of causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to vehicles belonging to a Suffolk travel business has been adjourned due to a barrister in the case being unwell.

Before Ipswich Crown Court are Adrian Ling, 63, of Woodside, Beccles, and Daniel Garrison, 34, of Danforth Drive, Woodbridge.

They have denied conspiring to commit criminal damage to property belonging to Goldline Travel between December 2012 and November 2019.

Ling has also denied four offences of having an air rifle with intent to commit criminal damage between 2013 and 2019.

It has been alleged that during a campaign of violence by Ling and Garrison against Goldline Travel, which operates a small fleet of coaches and taxis from its premises in Ellough, near Beccles in north Suffolk, its vehicles were repeatedly vandalised.

It was also alleged that on several occasions, taxis were shot at while picking up and carrying fares.

Ipswich Crown Court heard that Ling started working with Goldline in 2008 as a mechanic and was later sacked by its owner Ian Trussler in 2012.

“It is clear that he was very angry about being sacked and it’s the prosecution case that he has harboured a significant personal grudge against Ian Trussler and Goldline and has carried out a sustained vendetta against them,” alleged Andrew Thompson, prosecuting, earlier in the trial. 

He claimed that Ling, who was previously convicted of stealing diesel from Goldline but subsequently acquitted on appeal, started the vendetta following his dismissal while Garrison allegedly joined the conspiracy in 2016.

Giving evidence last week, Mr Trussler claimed that between 2013 and 2017 about £300,000 damage was caused to his company's vehicles.

It is hoped the trial will continue at the court on Tuesday.