The trial of two men charged with the rape of a homeless woman in a hotel room has collapsed due to a legal issue.
A 27-year-old Dublin man, is alleged to have raped the woman in a room at the George Frederic Handel Hotel, Fishamble Street, Dublin in the early hours of March 27th, 2012.
His co-accused, a 40-year-old Dublin man, is alleged to have watched during the rape and to have threatened the woman about reporting it to gardaí.
Both men, who are legally entitled to anonymity unless convicted, have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
After a day of argument over a legal issue, Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan told the jury of eight men and four women that the trial was finished as far as it was concerned.
She said it was regrettable that she had to make the decision to discharge the jury. She remanded the two men to later this month to appear again before the Central Criminal Court to fix a new trial date.