A JURY is still deliberating over its verdicts in the case of two males accused of murdering a man by attacking him on Chester’s walls.
Kieran Cunnah, 18, from Durham Road, Blacon, and a 17-year-old youth are on trial at Chester Crown Court accused of killing Christopher Garwell, 23, from Connah’s Quay.
Mr Garwell died in hospital on June 9, six days after the alleged assault. Both defendants deny murder.
But Cunnah admits he kicked the alleged victim twice to the head and punched him once. His co-accused accepts he punched Mr Garwell twice to the face.
The jury of seven men and five women was sent out at 11am on Monday after the judge, Mr Justice Nicol, outlined the possible verdicts in the case of each defendant. These range from not guilty of all charges to guilty of murder or the alternatives of manslaughter or GBH with intent.
Shortly before lunchtime yesterday Mr Justice Nicol told the jury that while he would prefer a unanimous verdict, the case had reached the stage where he was prepared to accept a majority verdict providing at least 10 of the 12 were agreed.
He told the jurors: “When I gave my directions to you in my summing up, I said for the time-being you must try to reach unanimous verdicts.”
He added: “The time has come when I can now accept a majority verdict in relation to one or both of the defendants.”
But the foreman replied that majority verdicts had not been reached in either case. And by 4pm yesterday there was still no indication of a decision which prompted the judge to send the jury home to return today.
