Police corruption trial jury is discharged

The jury in the largest police corruption trial in British legal history, which is scheduled to run for seven months, was yesterday discharged for undisclosed reasons.

Eight former policemen and two civilians went on trial at Swansea Crown Court last week accused of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and perjury.

All 10 defendants were accused of playing parts in the jailing of three innocent men for the murder of a South Wales prostitute. Lynette White, 20, was found stabbed to death in a Cardiff flat on Valentine's Day 1988.

But Mr Justice Sweeney discharged the jury of 12 after explaining that one of their number could not continue for personal reasons. Eleven of the original jury and one additional juror chosen from among six spares were later sworn in.

The setback is likely to add tens of thousands of pounds to the final cost of the proceedings, which involve 10 QCs representing the 10 defendants.