Jury sequestered in false rape statement trial

The jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial of a woman charged with making false statements that her father raped and sexually assaulted her has been sent to a hotel overnight.

Judge Anthony Hunt sent the jury away after it failed to return a verdict following more than two hours deliberation. The four women and eight men will resume deliberations in the morning.

The woman has pleaded not guilty to 13 charges of making false statements to gardaí from May 15, 2002 to July 31, 2002 under section 12 of the Criminal Law Act.

The 34-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, made 13 alleged false statements claiming he raped and sexually abused her from the age of six and was the father of one of her children.

She then made a 14th statement withdrawing her allegations.