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| Newcastle fan pulled from Sunderland sex assault jury over prejudice | Newcastle fan pulled from Sunderland sex assault jury over prejudice |
| (4 months later) | |
| A Newcastle football fan has been removed from the jury of a sex assault trial after confessing he couldn't give someone from Sunderland a fair trial so soon after Paolo di Canio's team beat Newcastle 3-0. | A Newcastle football fan has been removed from the jury of a sex assault trial after confessing he couldn't give someone from Sunderland a fair trial so soon after Paolo di Canio's team beat Newcastle 3-0. |
| The juror admitted his prejudice to court staff and was brought before Judge Penny Moreland at Newcastle crown court on Monday, it emerged on Friday. | The juror admitted his prejudice to court staff and was brought before Judge Penny Moreland at Newcastle crown court on Monday, it emerged on Friday. |
| The unnamed juror is alleged to have called the defendant, David Blake from Sunderland, a "Mackem rapist" 24 hours after the Tyne and Wear derby earlier this month, which was followed by violent scenes from some fans. Mackem, a term for people from Sunderland, is also used for Sunderland fans. | The unnamed juror is alleged to have called the defendant, David Blake from Sunderland, a "Mackem rapist" 24 hours after the Tyne and Wear derby earlier this month, which was followed by violent scenes from some fans. Mackem, a term for people from Sunderland, is also used for Sunderland fans. |
| As a result, before hearing any evidence from the witness box, the juror was removed. | As a result, before hearing any evidence from the witness box, the juror was removed. |
| A spokeswoman for the judiciary said on Friday: "I can confirm that the judge did discharge a juror. Because the trial was at a very early stage the judge then discharged the remaining 11 jurors and a new jury was empanelled. The juror had himself approached a member of court staff and made the comment which in the judge's view made him unsuitable to try the defendant." | A spokeswoman for the judiciary said on Friday: "I can confirm that the judge did discharge a juror. Because the trial was at a very early stage the judge then discharged the remaining 11 jurors and a new jury was empanelled. The juror had himself approached a member of court staff and made the comment which in the judge's view made him unsuitable to try the defendant." |
| Jurors are given a clear warning by judges at the start of every case that they must try defendants on the evidence they hear in court and nothing else. | Jurors are given a clear warning by judges at the start of every case that they must try defendants on the evidence they hear in court and nothing else. |
| Blake's trial was halted after half a day, meaning the victim, who was anxiously waiting to give evidence, faced a delay while a new jury was sworn in. As a result of the false start Blake's victim had to relive her ordeal by watching her video evidence twice as the prosecution's opening was repeated for the new jury. | Blake's trial was halted after half a day, meaning the victim, who was anxiously waiting to give evidence, faced a delay while a new jury was sworn in. As a result of the false start Blake's victim had to relive her ordeal by watching her video evidence twice as the prosecution's opening was repeated for the new jury. |
| Blake was eventually found guilty of raping the woman, who had fallen asleep in a spare bed, alone, after a party at a flat. He will be sentenced next month but was warned to expect a prison term. | Blake was eventually found guilty of raping the woman, who had fallen asleep in a spare bed, alone, after a party at a flat. He will be sentenced next month but was warned to expect a prison term. |
| In a separate case, the attorney general announced on Wednesday that a man called Kasim Davey would be prosecuted for contempt of court after allegedly writing on Facebook that he wanted to "fuck up a paedophile" during the trial of a convicted child sex offender. | In a separate case, the attorney general announced on Wednesday that a man called Kasim Davey would be prosecuted for contempt of court after allegedly writing on Facebook that he wanted to "fuck up a paedophile" during the trial of a convicted child sex offender. |
| Davey was discharged as a juror in the trial in December when he wrote on Facebook: "Woooow I wasn't expecting to be in a jury Deciding a paedophile's fate, I've always wanted to Fuck up a paedophile & now I'm within the law!" | Davey was discharged as a juror in the trial in December when he wrote on Facebook: "Woooow I wasn't expecting to be in a jury Deciding a paedophile's fate, I've always wanted to Fuck up a paedophile & now I'm within the law!" |
| He denied posting the message – which is in breach of laws on contempt of court – when initially questioned by the judge at Wood Green crown court in London. Davey was a juror at the trial of Adam Kephalas, a convicted child-sex offender who was given a suspended 12-month prison sentence in January this year. | He denied posting the message – which is in breach of laws on contempt of court – when initially questioned by the judge at Wood Green crown court in London. Davey was a juror at the trial of Adam Kephalas, a convicted child-sex offender who was given a suspended 12-month prison sentence in January this year. |
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