The trial at the Central Criminal Court of a Mayo married man charged with raping and sexually assualting two sisters has ended with the jury being discharged.
Mr Justice Kevin O'Higgins discharged the jury on day four of the hearing following submissions by defence counsel Mr Patrick MacEntee SC. A new date for the trial will be fixed later.
The accused (35) is pleading not guilty to one count of rape, one of having unlawful carnal knowledge, two of attempted unlawful carnal knowledge and six of sexually assaulting the older sister on dates between April 1994 and September 1995 when she was 14.
He also denies one count of rape, one of oral rape, nine of attempted unlawful carnal knowledge, one of having unlawful carnal knowledge and three of sexually assaulting the younger sister on dates between September 1998 and May 1999 when she was aged 13 and 14.