A jury trying former oil company boss Mr John O'Brien (45) over a £7.2 million sterling (€11.5 million) stock market fraud were yesterday sent home for the weekend after failing to reach verdicts.

The Irishman is accused of staging a successful share issue by London-based Alliance Resources, knowing the company's rights to exploit a North American oilfield had been lost and that a flagship well had failed to produce significant quantities of natural gas. He denies five charges of forgery, two of false accounting and two offences under the Financial Services Act. The jury resumes its deliberations at 10.30 a.m. on Monday.