Family sentenced over £240,000 theft and damage at Thwaites brewery
By Iain Lynn
Published 21st Feb 2019, 16:25 GMT
Updated 21st Feb 2019, 17:32 GMT
Two family members who ransacked the historic Thwaites Brewery, causing more than £240,000 in damage, were sentenced to a combined eight years in prison
Thomas Ward, 44 and John Ward, 34, were part of a more than 100-strong group of travellers who broke into the Blackburn site and set up in over 30 caravans during the bank holiday weekend at the end of May last year.
Thwaites Brewery damage
The company agreed, providing no damage was caused, but the group broke in when only 10,000 could be paid within their timeframe.
Ringleader Thomas Ward was also convicted at Preston Crown Court of blackmailing the brewerys chief executive. He demanded 20,000 from Thwaites to leave within an hour.
A third member of the family, Patrick Ward, and a 17 year old youth, who were also part of the group, will be sentenced at a later date.
Over two days, the intruders proceeded to steal and trash property, including staffs personal possessions, with a total value of more than 240,000.
