Murder trial jury fails to reach verdict

The jury in the trial of a 38-year-old-father-of two accused of murder has failed to reach a verdict after deliberating for nearly five hours at the Central Criminal Court.

The jury of eight men and four women will resume their deliberations in the morning after spending the night in a hotel.

Mr James (Seamus) Morgan of Lower Mount Pleasant Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6 denies the murder of Mr James Hand (aged 29) of Mountjoy Square, Dublin 7 on or between the August 22 and September 5, 2002, both dates inclusive, at The Meeting Pint public house on Dorset Street Upper.

It is the prosecution’s case that the deceased was stabbed on August 22, 2002 and died two weeks later in hospital.

It is alleged that after the accused man told the bar-girl who was a niece of the deceased he was barred from The Meeting Pint pub, he was asked to leave by Ms Amanda Kavanagh.

However, the accused allegedly returned to the pub on at least three occasions in an agitated state. After Mr Hand "had words" with the accused an altercation allegedly broke out and Mr Hand was stabbed.

Mr Justice Paul Carney told the jury today that if they are unable to reach a unanimous verdict, he would now accept a majority verdict.