A trial at Letterkenny Circuit Court had to be abandoned today after a close contact of the accused was found to have tested positive for Covid-19.
The trial, before a jury, had commenced on Wednesday with a number of witnesses including members of the Gardai having given evidence.
But just before it was due to resume this morning, Judge John Aylmer announced that due to a Covid issue it could not go ahead.
Defence counsel, Colm Smyth, had suggested that the trial could resume on Tuesday next but Judge Alymer told the legal teams that he would not entertain taking risks with the health of the jury members, the practitioners and the Gardai or anyone else involved in the case.
He consequently adjourned the trial to the next sessions of Letterkenny Circuit Court in October.
Discharging the jury remotely he advised them to avail of a Covid test in their own interests and also suggested others who had been in the courtroom during the trial to do likewise.
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