[A] JURY in the trial of four schoolboys who deny raping a 15-year-old girl in Workington has been discharged.
The four teenage boys, all aged under 16, have each pleaded not guilty to three charges – two allegations of rape and one further alleged sexual assault.
All charges arise out of an alleged incident in Workington on the evening of January 3.
The four boys went on trial at Carlisle Crown Court earlier this month. However, the hearing was halted on Thursday last week – the ninth day.
Today (MON), the seven female and five male jurors were discharged by Judge Barbara Forrester.
This decision, Judge Forrester told the jury, had been taken after “very careful consideration” because the trial judge, His Honour Peter Davies, had been taken ill.
The date for a new trial, in front of a new jury, will be fixed in due course.
