Two men will appear in court today charged with allegedly disturbing and destroying a hazel dormouse habitat in Kersey.

Alan Keeble, 73, and Craig Lister, 50, are in the second day of a trial at Suffolk Magistrates' Court in Ipswich, accused of two offences relating to the rare protected species in the village near Hadleigh, in January 2021. 

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. 

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. 

The court heard yesterday that January 2021, Keeble was in the process of selling his property, in Wicker Street Green, Kersey, to Lister, and planning permission had been sought while an ecological survey confirmed the presence of hazel dormice.

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. 

Magistrates heard that 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. 

The trial is expected to be concluded today (Wednesday)