Jury retires in Rattigan murder trial

A jury in a Dublin murder trial have been sent to a hotel for a second night having failed to reach a verdict.

The seven men and four women have so far been deliberating for almost ten hours.

Brian Rattigan (aged 28), Cooley Rd, Drimnagh, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Declan Gavin (aged 21) Mourne Rd, Driminagh, at Crumlin Rd, Crumlin on August 25, 2001.

It is the prosecution’s case that Mr Rattigan got out of a Nissan Micra that pulled up outside Abrakebabra fast food outlet at the Crumlin shopping centre before he "made for Declan Gavin" with a knife.

Mr Justice George Birmingham told the jury at 4.37pm this afternoon, after they had been deliberating for over seven hours that he could now accept a majority verdict.

He said: "A majority verdict is now acceptable. I can either accept a majority verdict on which at least ten of you are agreed or a unanimous verdict from all eleven of you."

Earlier today, the jury asked to listen again to the evidence of Det Gda Christopher O’Connor a fingerprint expert at the Garda Technical Bureau.

During the trial, Det Gda Christopher O’Connor told the court he found a palm print in "what appeared to be blood" on the exterior window of Abrakebabra and matched it to the palm print of Brian Rattigan.

The jury will resume their deliberations tomorrow morning in the Central Criminal Court.