The jury in the trial of three men accused of locking an Ipswich woman in a loft for three days as part of an alleged blackmail plot has been discharged for legal reasons.

Before Ipswich Crown Court were: Louie Charles, 19, of Wivenhoe Park, Colchester; Tye Parker, 20, of Burr Close, Harwich;Mubarak Jaye, 18, of Seward Street, London and Cuthbert Charles, 58, of Featherstone, Wolverhampton.

Louie Charles, Parker and Jaye had denied falsely imprisoning Minique Rivett, of Spring Road, Ipswich, in March and Louie Charles and Parker also denied blackmail.

Louie Charles and Parker denied kidnapping Laurel Aiken in March and Louie Charles, Cuthbert Charles and Parker denied falsely imprisoning him.

The trial started earlier this month and Judge David Goodin discharged the jury on Friday (September 20) for legal reasons.

No date has been set for a retrial.