Updated The trial of Cliff Stanford, founder of Demon Internet and Redbus, on charges of blackmail and "email poaching" (originally scheduled to begin 10 January) has been put back to 28 January. Stanford along with co-defendant George Liddell are accused of conspiring to intercept emails sent to Redbus chairman John Porter during a boardroom battle at the London-based hosting firm. Both men deny conspiracy to blackmail and interception of communications contrary to the RIPA Act 2000. They face a trial before Judge Geoffrey Rivlin at London's Southwark Crown Court later this month.

Stanford co-founded Redbus Interhouse in 1999 but resigned in 2002, along with two other directors, following a boardroom row with Porter, Redbus Interhouse's then chairman. Two subsequent attempts by Stanford to oust the board failed, and he sold his stake in the company last year.

Stanford is a high-profile and charismatic figure in the UK Internet business. He used the £33m from the sale in 1998 of UK ISP pioneer Demon Internet to establish investment outfit the Redbus Group, which set up Redbus Interhouse and a number of other businesses. ®

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