Man faces retrial over pregnant partner's death

A man accused of murdering his pregnant ex girlfriend faces a retrial after a jury today failed to reach a verdict.

Stephen Cahoon admitted killing mother-of-four Jean Quigley in her Derry home last year but denied murder.

The 37-year-old made legal history by becoming the first person to face a jury in the Republic of Ireland for a non-terrorist related offence in the North.

On the third day of deliberation a jury of seven women and five men sitting at Dublin’s Central Criminal Court said they could not reach a verdict.

The court previously heard Ms Quigley’s naked bruised and battered body was discovered by her heartbroken mother Emma McBride on July 26 last year.

Ms McBride broke down in tears and fled the courtroom with her children as the jury was dismissed.

Last night Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy told the jurors they had the option to return a majority verdict of 11/1 or 10/2.

He said the accused could be found guilty of murder or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

But shortly before 11.30am on day 13 of the trial the foreperson told the judge: “We haven’t being able to come to a majority decision.”

Cahoon had maintained he was provoked into attacking his ex, who was two months pregnant with his baby, when she started screaming at him that the baby was not his and would have an abortion.

The prosecution claimed he forced he way into Ms Quigley’s home, beat her up and strangled her.