Drug trial collapses in Cork
The trial of three Englishmen detained on a trawler off the south coast in 1999 has collapsed this afternoon at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
Barry Court, Paul Simpkins and Matthew George Preece had been charged with possession of £14m worth of cannabis and pleaded not guilty. None of them gave evidence at the trial.
The jury retired to reach a decision today but it was discovered that one of the documents in their possession had not been submitted as evidence.
Judge AG Murphy said he had no option but to declare a mistrial. The three accused have been remanded in custody until the next sitting of the court in May.
