Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Juror dismissed from trial after using Facebook to help make a decision

The woman posted details of the child abduction and sex assault case on the social networking site. She then invited friends to help her decide whether the defendents were guilty or innocent.

"I don't know which way to go, so I'm holding a poll" she wrote.

Under the British constitution and in the interests of a fair trial, jurors are forbidden from discussing details of cases even with their closest family members.

The woman was dismissed from Burnley Crown Court, Lancshire, after a court official recieved the anoymous tip off. It was believed the she did not use any privacy settings on her profile, so the Facebook posts could be read by anyone.

Although the trial continued with 11 jurors, legal experts said the juror risked being charged with contempt of court and the trial could have collapased. "She had been asking her mates what they thought – and some people came back with guilty verdicts" a source said.

Yesterday a courts service spokesman confirmed the juror was dismissed last week. Portuguese Nelson Claudino, 26, and Farooq Ahmed, 27, and Hardeep Singh, 32, both of Leicester, were cleared of child abduction at the trial. Ahmed and Claudino were acquitted of sex with a girl of 14 and Claudino was cleared of a serious sex assault. He earlier admitted raping a 12-year-old girl and will be sentenced next month.

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