A man accused of stealing £165,000 from a car dealership will have to wait until 2023 for his trial to take place due to a backlog of cases worsened by the pandemic.

Daniel Lake, 39, of Alcock Drive, Sprowston, appeared before Ipswich Crown Court on Tuesday, December 14.

He pleaded not guilty to stealing £165,986 from Lings Motor Group, which has branches across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex and is based in Harleston, between June 2017 and January 2019.

His trial, which is expected to last up to six days, will get under way on March 27, 2023.

Recorder Graham Huston apologised to Lake for the long delay in his trial being heard and adjourned the case for a further case management hearing during the week commencing February 13, 2023.

He allowed Lake’s unconditional bail to continue.