A corruption trial involving former Maldon mayor Ron Daws is expected to take place in the summer.

The July trial will be the fourth Daws and property developer Stephen Sibley have faced since allegations were made against both men.

The previous three trials at Chelmsford Crown Court - one in December 1997 and two in October last year - have all been halted for health and legal reasons.

And a bid to have the latest date for the trial changed from July 5 to either February or March next year has been ruled out following a court hearing.

Both the prosecution and defence wanted the case put off so Judge Brian Watling QC could be in charge of the trial.

Judge Watling presided at two of the earlier trials which had to be stopped.

But Judge Warwick McKinnon dismissed an application for the date to be changed as he said he was concerned over the age of the case.

The allegations date back some ten years and Judge McKinnon said the trial should be take place as soon as possible.

Daws, 66, of Grundisburgh Road, Hasketon, Suffolk, faces four charges of corruption involving a total of £60,000.

Sibley, 44, of High Street, Thorpe-le-Soken, faces three charges of corruption amounting to £45,000, one of false accounting and one of falsely representing that a cheque for £40,250 was needed to pay a contractor.

The charges Daws faces under the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act relate to two charges of corruptly agreeing to receive a £5,000 fee as an inducement or reward for assisting Danbury Developments Ltd in obtaining planning permission in respect of planning applications submitted by the company to Maldon District Council.

A third charge under the Act relates to a fee of £35,000. These charges relate to alleged payments between December 1 1989 and December 1991.

Daws is also accused of corruptly soliciting for himself £15,000 as a reward for helping Danbury Developments to obtain planning permission for the Maldon Ironworks site.

The charges also state that at the time, Daws was a member of Maldon District Council.

Sibley faces three charges under the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act of corruptly promising fees totalling £45,000 to Daws as an inducement or reward for assisting Danbury Developments Ltd in obtaining planning permission in respect of planning applications submitted by the company to the council.

He is also accused of making use of an invoice on September 12,1990 which claimed to show a company called Elvanite Ltd had been paid £57,000 for excavation and filling work on behalf of Danbury Developments Ltd.

Sibley is also charged with falsely representing on August 22 1990 that a cheque for £40,250 was needed to pay a company called Fairlop Ltd as a sub-contractor for clearing toxic waste at the Gas Quay site in Colchester.

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