Two men allegedly disturbed and destroyed a hazel dormouse habitat in Suffolk after undertaking site clearance work not covered by a licence, a court heard.

Alan Keeble, 73, and Craig Lister, 50, have gone on trial accused of two offences relating to the rare protected species in Kersey, near Hadleigh, in January 2021.

Hazel dormice, their breeding sites and resting places are protected by law, and anyone found guilty of offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 can face an unlimited fine or up to six months in prison.

In January 2021, Keeble was in the process of selling his property, in Wicker Street Green, Kersey, to Lister, and planning permission had been sought, Suffolk Magistrates' Court heard on Tuesday.

An ecological survey was required and confirmed the presence of hazel dormice after it was carried out, the court heard.

Keeble applied for a licence from Natural England for work to take place at the farm, and that was granted, Fred Sagoe, prosecuting, told the court.

The approved schedule of works included habitat enhancement and installation of dormice boxes.

In January 2021, police received a report that clearance had taken place at the Wicker Street Green site on the weekend of January 9 and 10.

A concrete area adjacent to the barn had been mechanically scraped and cleared of undergrowth, with debris containing soil and stone piled up.

Mr Sagoe said it is the prosecution case that the work was undertaken outside the licence granted by Natural England.

Sergeant Brian Calver, from Suffolk police's rural crime team, then visited the site and made enquiries as to ownership of the site, the court heard.

Lister was interviewed by police where he confirmed purchasing the property from Keeble, and admitted clearing shrubs using hand tools while Keeble scraped the concrete with a mechanical loading shovel, magistrates heard.

Keeble declined to be interviewed by officers, the court heard.

Keeble, of Bower House Tye, Polstead, near Colchester, and Lister, of Brook Street, Glemsford, both deny charges of disturbing a wild animal of a European protected species and damaging or destroying a resting place of a wild animal of a European protected species.

The trial, which is expected to conclude tomorrow, continues.