A MURDER trial collapsed at the Central Criminal Court yesterday after the judge was told one of the jurors knew a key witness in the case.
Mr Joseph Delaney (54), formerly of Naas, Co Kildare, has denied the murder of Mr Mark Dwyer (23) on or about December 14th, 1996. He also pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Mr Dwyer in Ballybough, Dublin.
When the trial resumed after lunch, Mr Justice Quirke said one of the jurors had "very properly" informed him that he knew one of the witnesses. This was "clearly undesirable . . . justice needs to be done and be seen to be done."
The jury of eight women and four men had heard the opening address from prosecution counsel Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC.
After recognising the name of a witness in the prosecution address, a juror said he knew the witness who was due to give evidence.
The jury was discharged and the case adjourned until next Monday