Carlow rape trial collapses after jurors researched case online
A High Court judge has discharged the jury in a rape trial in Carlow after it emerged that some jurors had carried out online research about the case despite explicit instructions not to do so.
Mr Justice Micheal Ó Higgins told the jury of four men and eight women that the conduct was "beyond regrettable" and had undermined the trial process.
He said the complainant and the defendant would now have to go through the case again.
The trial involved allegations of rape, assault causing harm and threats to kill.
It had opened two weeks ago, and the jury began deliberations on Tuesday before being suspended after four and a half hours when the issue came to light on Wednesday.
The judge said contempt proceedings had been considered, but the court was not minded to begin them at this stage.
He said it remained open to the Director of Public Prosecutions to decide whether to pursue contempt proceedings.
The court was told that a juror had raised concerns about the actions of other jurors in a note passed to the judge.
That juror was then questioned, and both the State and defence later applied for the jury to be discharged.
