Trial of north Dublin teacher collapses
The jury in the trial of a north Dublin teacher accused of unlawful carnal knowledge of one of his pupils has been discharged.
Judge Frank O'Donnell discharged the the jury of eight men and four women just before he was to begin his charge to them on day-four of the trial and after closing speeches by both prosecuting and defence counsels.
Judge O'Donnell told the jury that sometimes situations arose that made proceeding impossible and such a situation had arisen in this case.
The 48-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of unlawful carnal knowledge of a then 16-year-old transition year student at the school on dates in March 2002.
