Limerick murder case 'cannot go on' as no judge available to hear it

The jury has been discharged in the case of a Limerick man charged with attempted murder in the city last year, after the trial was unable to go ahead at the Central Criminal Court today.

Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan told the jury of three men and nine women that there was no judge available to try the case, and he had to "regrettably discharge you as the case cannot go on".

Twenty-nine-year-old Shane Mason, of Sean Hueston Place in Limerick city, had pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Daniel Philips at St John's Square in the city, on May 24, 2010.

He had also denied two other charges of recklessly causing serious harm to Mr Philips on the same date, and possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life in relation to the same incident.

Mason was remanded in custody and the case is due to go ahead at a later date.