A jury in the Central Criminal Court trial of a Mayo man accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting two children in the pub where he worked as a barman has been discharged after failing to reach a verdict.
The 39-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of sexual assault and 13 counts of oral rape against the first girl; also 14 counts of sexual assault, 13 counts of oral rape, and one count of anal rape against the second girl on dates between June 1999 and September 2000.
The girls were between eight and 10 years old at the time of the alleged offences.
Mr Justice Barry White discharged the jury of six men and six women after five and a half hours deliberation on day five of the trial when they indicated they would be unable to reach a verdict on any of the charges.
He remanded the accused on continuing bail and listed the case for mention next month when a new trial date may be set.
