'Hopelessly deadlocked' jury fails to reach verdict in Cork sexual assault trial

The jury had been directed earlier in the trial to find the accused not guilty of rape.

The case was adjourned for a date to be set for a new trial on the two sexual assault charges.

A bar manager at a Cork city centre nightspot followed a young man and woman from the premises because he felt “something was not sitting right” and now a jury has failed to reach agreement on any verdict where the man faced two counts of sexually assaulting the woman.

A jury of seven men and five women indicated through the jury foreperson that they were “hopelessly deadlocked” and failed to reach any verdict after just over five hours of deliberation at the Central Criminal Court. They had been directed earlier in the trial to find him not guilty of rape.