Chinese double murder jury retires

A jury has retired to consider verdicts in the trial of a Chinese man accused of double murder in Dublin two years ago.

25-year-old Yu Jie with a last address at McKee Avenue, Finglas, denies the murder of 19-year-olds Mr Yue Feng and Ms Liu Qing in an apartment at Blackhall Square, North King Street, Dublin at times between March 12 and March 14, 2001.

The prosecution alleges that Yu Jie strangled the couple on March 12 and returned in the early hours of March 14 to set fire to their bodies.

The jury retired shortly before 4pm today after what has been so far, the longest trial in Irish criminal history.

One of the 12-member jury panel passed away during the course of the 58-day trial, and 11 jurors remain to decide verdicts in the Central Criminal Court case.