Assault plot jury discharged

The Crown Prosecution Service is discussing its next move after the jury in a lengthy, multi-million-pound trial was discharged.

Four people from Corby, Northamptonshire, were unanimously cleared on Thursday of plotting a night-club assault that left 40-year-old Frank Gillespie with irreparable brain damage.

On Friday, the jury, which had been deliberating for more than 16 hours at Leicester Crown Court, said there was no reasonable prospect of reaching a majority verdict on any of the remaining four defendants.

Two men have already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cause Mr Gillespie grievous bodily harm with intent and are awaiting sentence.

All 10 defendants who were represented by QCs, supported by junior counsel, were accused of plotting the attack.

'Mature reflection' needed

One woman faced a separate charge of causing actual bodily harm to the injured man's girlfriend.

Judge Charles Wide QC, who had earlier ruled there was insufficient evidence to allow an original charge of conspiracy to murder, discharged the panel.

James Curtis QC, prosecuting, told the judge that a decision on whether the case would be retried or dropped needed "mature reflection" and would be made known within the next week.

The case was then adjourned for further directions at Northampton Crown Court on 22 August.

The case, which started on 3 June, had heard how a gang armed with baseball bats and knives ambushed Mr Gillespie outside The Madison's venue in the former steel town in May last year.

'Unlikely to live'

He suffered a gaping head wound and other injuries that one paramedic described as the worst he had ever seen.

More than 12 months on, he is still in hospital but doctors say he is unlikely to live beyond the next 10 years.

Those cleared were: brothers Steven Magee, 21, and Mark Magee, 19, of Dorking Walk; James Lafferty, 45, of Bourne Close, Great Oakley; and his brother Arthur, 47, of York Road.

The jury failed to reach a verdict on the Magees' mother, Jacqueline, 42, also of Dorking Walk; husband and wife Anne McGrath, 45, and James McGrath, 51, of Halifax Square; and Scott Martin, 30, of Lincoln Way.

The McGraths' 25-year-old son also called James and of the same address, and their nephew, Matthew, 19, of Handcross Court, pleaded guilty.

Charges against Jacqueline Magee's husband, Edward, 42, were dropped because he was suffering from terminal cancer. He died last Sunday.

None of the Magees was in court on Friday because of the funeral.