THE jury has been discharged in the trial of a man accused of sending a letter threatening 57 councillors.

David Lindsay, of Foxhills Crescent, Lanchester, in County Durham, denies sending the letter and also denies a second charge of perverting the course of justice.

The 41-year-old has been standing trial at Durham Crown Court, where the jury was discharged yesterday.

Judge Christopher Prince said: "Both parties want to make further inquiries. Both parties have applied for time to make those inquiries."

Jurors had heard two days of evidence in the case.

The first charge relate to a letter, which was sent to Durham Police chief constable in February 2017, putting a price on the heads of 57 members of Durham County Council, who had voted in favour of a review of the pay and conditions of its teaching assistants.

Mr Lindsay is also alleged to have arranged to send three threatening letters from the US to County Durham, including one to himself, in a bid to derail his first trial, which was scheduled to take place in December 2017.