The jury in a murder trial has been sent to a Dublin hotel for a second night. Two jurors requested a further examination of items of clothing belonging to the deceased. The jury resumed its deliberations earlier. A County Galway man is accused of the rape and murder of a schoolgirl in December, 1998. Forensic tests revealed that fibres from the items of clothing matched fibres found on a white v-neck top belonging to the accused.
The 27-year-old man previously denied the murder of the 17-year-old girl in the Central Criminal Court. The man cannot be named for legal reasons. The jury retired at 12.45pm yesterday after Mr Justice Smith had finished his review of the evidence. After failing to return a verdict during the afternoon, the jury was sent to a hotel overnight. It returned to the Four Courts shortly before 11am today.
