Murder trial jury fails to reach verdict tonight

The jury in the trial of five men accused of murdering a man at a Traveller funeral will spend tonight in a hotel and will tomorrow morning resume their deliberations at the Central Criminal Court.

The jury failed to reach a verdict after considering the verdict for over three hours in the six week trial.

The five Travellers deny the murder of Mr Patrick "Deuce" Ward in May 1999 at Carrownanty Cemetery in Ballymote, Co Sligo.

Mr Michael "Hitler Bumbee" McDonagh snr (aged 58), Mr Martin "Bumbee" McDonagh snr (aged 53), Mr Michael McDonagh jnr (aged 29), Mr Patrick McDonagh (aged 33) and Mr Martin "Spider Bumbee" McDonagh jnr (aged 26) from Hertfordshire in London have all denied the murder of Mr Ward.

Mr "Deuce" Ward, (aged 38), a father of six originally from Galway but resident in Manchester had travelled to Ireland for the funeral of his uncle, also Patrick Ward, in Ballymote, Co Sligo on May 10 1999 when he was fatally shot at.

The jury will resume their deliberations tomorrow in the 29-day trial before Mr Justice Iarfhaith O’Neill.