A former Norfolk election candidate will go on trial in November to face charges relating to a hustings incident.

Steven De La Salle, 38, of Pine Grove, Sheringham, has been charged with assault by beating of Tim Adams, a Cromer town, district and county councillor for the Liberal Democrats, on November 27, 2019 in Stalham.

A second charge of using threatening, abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress has also been brought relating to the same incident.

Mr De La Salle, who stood for the Conservatives in the May council elections in 2019 for the Stody ward, appeared at Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court on Wednesday (September 23) where he denied the charges.

The trial will take place in Great Yarmouth on November 24 at 10am and is likely to last four hours.

Chairman of the bench Jeanne Heal declared an interest, saying she was present at the time of the incident which happened on a balcony, but would not be presiding over the trial.

She told Mr De La Salle she understood his frustration over delays in bringing the case to court, which had been made worse by Covid-19.

She warned him that failure to attend could lead to custody and that the case could still go ahead in his absence.

He was granted unconditional bail.