Cahoon jury considers verdict

The jury in the trial of a Derry man charged with murdering his pregnant ex-girlfriend will resume deliberating tomorrow morning.

The seven women and five men were been sent home from the Central Criminal Court today following almost two and a half hours of deliberations.

The minimum verdict it can bring in against father-of-one Stephen Cahoon is manslaughter, as the 37-year-old admits strangling Jean Teresa Quigley (aged 30) to death at her home at Cornshell Fields, Shantallow, Derry on July 26, 2008.

However, Cahoon of Harvey Street, Derry claims it was accidental, and has pleaded not guilty to murdering the mother-of-four, who was 10-weeks pregnant with his son.

Before going home, the jury asked for clarification on a number of issues, including what exactly was meant by "moderate bruising" and "no evidence of sexual assault".

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy told the jurors that moderate was on a scale of "mild, moderate and severe" while "no evidence" meant just that.

He told them to reach a unanimous verdict of either guilty of murder or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.