Northern Ireland

Victoria Square CCTV sexual assault trial halted

Victoria Square in Belfast. Picture by Mal McCann
Victoria Square in Belfast. Picture by Mal McCann Victoria Square in Belfast. Picture by Mal McCann

A trial involving two teenagers accused of offences linked to an alleged sexual assault at a Belfast shopping centre was halted today.

The hearing at Belfast Crown Court began earlier this week, but the jury was discharged by the trial judge after it emerged there was a possibility of 'more potential material' regarding CCTV.

The two defendants were charged with offences against a 25-year old woman, with the Crown's case that she was sexually assaulted in the Victoria Square shopping centre in the early hours of September 28 last year.

One of the teenagers was charged with two counts of oral rape, two charges of attempted oral rape and seven of indecent assault, while his co-accused was accused of aiding and abetting him.

The pair denied all charged levelled against them.

On the second day of the hearing, Judge Neil Rafferty said: "It is with the deepest of regret that I am going to have to discharge this jury, which means that the trial will cease at this point and will resume again with a fresh jury."

He spoke of CCTV footage in the case and revealed there was "more potential material" and that as a result he was "very reluctantly" discharging the jury.

The trial is due to be re-listed again in the new year.