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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Cricketer Alex Hepburn: Rape trial jury discharged | Cricketer Alex Hepburn: Rape trial jury discharged |
| (1 day later) | |
| Jurors have failed to reach verdicts in the trial of a cricketer accused of raping a sleeping woman. | Jurors have failed to reach verdicts in the trial of a cricketer accused of raping a sleeping woman. |
| Former Worcestershire CCC all-rounder Alex Hepburn, 23, had denied two charges said to have been committed in April 2017. | |
| Jurors at Worcester Crown Court deliberated for more than nine hours before telling the judge they were unlikely to agree on verdicts. | Jurors at Worcester Crown Court deliberated for more than nine hours before telling the judge they were unlikely to agree on verdicts. |
| Mr Hepburn will learn if he faces a retrial within two weeks. | Mr Hepburn will learn if he faces a retrial within two weeks. |
| Before the jury was discharged, trial judge Jim Tindal gave a majority direction, meaning he would accept verdicts on which at least ten members agreed. | Before the jury was discharged, trial judge Jim Tindal gave a majority direction, meaning he would accept verdicts on which at least ten members agreed. |
| But the group of eight women and four men eventually passed a note to Mr Tindal informing him of the deadlock. | But the group of eight women and four men eventually passed a note to Mr Tindal informing him of the deadlock. |
| A retrial was provisionally listed for April 8 and Australian-born Mr Hepburn, of Portland Street, was released on bail. | A retrial was provisionally listed for April 8 and Australian-born Mr Hepburn, of Portland Street, was released on bail. |
| Prosecutors have accused him of assaulting the woman after she had consensual sex with his former team-mate Joe Clarke. | Prosecutors have accused him of assaulting the woman after she had consensual sex with his former team-mate Joe Clarke. |
| Mr Hepburn said his encounter with the complainant had also been consensual. | Mr Hepburn said his encounter with the complainant had also been consensual. |
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