A BREWERY director is awaiting sentence after he admitted hatching a plot to contaminate the products of Hereford cider giant Bulmers.

Michael Hancocks plotted against Bulmers because it threatened to crush his rival company, Bristol Crown Court heard yesterday.

Hancocks, aged 63, of Hafod Road, Hereford, was the "instigator and prime mover" in the plan.

The major shareholder in Birmingham's Aston Manor Brewery, blamed Bulmers for his firm's business problems and wanted "to teach them a lesson", the court heard.

Last week Hancocks pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud Bulmers by attempting to introduce a yeast-based substance into its cider.

Prosecuting, Victor Temple said Hancocks' actions were designed to cause a product recall.

He detailed three attempts by Hancocks to contaminate cider with yeast.

He said Hancocks hired Richard Gay, aged 51, of Weston Lane, Birmingham, a chemist who had worked at Aston Manor Brewery, to produce the contaminants.

Gay has pleaded guilty to being in possession of material to be used for making it appear that cider, produced by Bulmers, had been interfered with.

The court heard how Gay's bungled chemistry produced a "less effective" yeast.

A third man Paul Harris, aged 42, of Kings Caple, Herefordshire, admitted to one count of conspiracy, last year, to contaminate the cider.

Mr Temple said Harris was asked by Hancocks to pay a Bulmers' employee to introduce the yeast at the firm's Hereford factory.

Employee Russell Jordan was assigned the task, but Jordan had second thoughts and informed Bulmers. The court heard the contaminant could have caused nausea and diarrhoea if consumed by the public.

Defending, Anthony Barker said Hancocks accepted he was guilty of conspiracy but was in such a state "that his real expectation as to what would happen if he sat down and thought about it would be very little".

He said that between 2000 and 2001 Bulmers was selling cider at low prices rival companies could not compete with, securing 60 per cent of the market through duty dilution - a tax avoidance practice legal at the time.

The National Association of Cider Manufacturers, led by Bulmers, said this should not be done but Bulmers was doing so "in a major way", he added.

He added this was never formally admitted or denied. The practice became illegal in August 2001.

"After duty dilution stopped, Bulmers' profits collapsed. Two executives were sacked and one left by mutual consent in January 2003."

Mr Barker added: "It would be unfair to send him (Hancocks) to prison and leave Bulmers free. They were seeking to crush his business."

Sentencing has been deferred until May 1. A report on the state of Hancocks' health is being sought.