Jury sent to hotel in 'New Age' murder trial

The jury in the trial of three New Age travellers accused of the murder of a Portuguese man in Co Waterford last year was sent…

The jury in the trial of three New Age travellers accused of the murder of a Portuguese man in Co Waterford last year was sent to a hotel last night after failing to reach a verdict.

At the Central Criminal Court in Dublin Mr Justice O'Higgins sent the jury of seven men and five women to a hotel after more than eight hours' deliberation.

The court heard that one of the accused men, Mr Stuart Spicer (28), had begun a relationship with the former partner of Mr Sergio Abru (43), who was in prison for assaulting her.

A month after his release he was seen arguing with Ms Miriam Rooney in Youghal, but later accompanied her and Mr Spicer to a caravan park in Whiting Bay, Co Waterford.

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The jury heard Mr Abru died from serious head injuries after being dragged to a field alongside the campsite, where the accused men lived near Whiting Bay.

The jury members will resume their deliberations today.