Shropshire huntmaster Otis Ferry today failed in a bid to get bail for Christmas.

After hearing a marathon two-hour bail application behind closed doors at Gloucester Crown Court, Judge Mark Horton refused to free the 26-year-old foxhunt enthusiast, whose trial is due in March.

But Ferry, of Eaton Mascott, near Shrewsbury, was told by the judge that he could make a further application on January 15 and he could well be granted bail then if his trial had to be delayed beyond the current March date.

Today’s application was the fourth time Ferry, the son of rock star Bryan Ferry, had asked for bail since his arrest for interfering with a witness in September – and he fourth time he has been refused.

He was entitled to make today’s application not because of any change in his circumstances or the prosecution case but because he has appointed a new legal team, led by QC Timothy Raggatt.

But Judge Horton upheld the previous two decisions made by resident Gloucester Crown Court Judge Martin Picton not to allow Ferry bail.

The initial decision to remand Ferry in custody had been made by Cheltenham magistrates.

Ferry, who is joint master of the South Shropshire Hunt, has pleaded not guilty to doing acts intended to pervert the course of justice by telling his former groomsman David Hodgkiss not to give evidence against him on charges of robbery and assault.

Ferry also denies robbing and assaulting a hunt monitor in November 2007.