A jury has been empanelled in the trial of a Woodbridge father and son accused of firearms offences.

Before Ipswich Crown Court on Monday, October 18, were Crispin Richards, 58, and Philip Richards, 24, of Bridgewood Road, Woodbridge.

They have pleaded not guilty to four offences of possessing a prohibited weapon without authority and two offences of possessing a shotgun disguised as a walking stick. The offences are alleged to have been committed on October 15 last year.

The registered gun dealer and his son, a “servant” on the firearms licence, were arrested after a search of their home on Friday, October 16 last year.

About 30 homes were evacuated when the bomb squad carried out a controlled explosion in a nearby field following the discovery of “unknown chemicals”.

The jury was sent home without hearing any details of the case with instructions to return to court on Tuesday.