A JURY has not been able to reach a verdict in the trial of the teenage brother of murderer Ben Blakeley.
Jake Blakeley was accused of knowingly helping to bury the body of Jayden Parkinson in a cemetery next to All Saint's Church in Didcot during the night of December 8 last year.
The 17-year-old admitted perverting the course of justice, but denied preventing a lawful burial, claiming he was lied to by his brother.
After six days of deliberating in Oxford Crown Court the jury foreman was asked this morning if there was any chance of a verdict being reached if more time was given.
He told Judge Patrick Eccles that there was no chance of a verdict and the jury was discharged.
A decision about whether to hold a retrial in the case of Jake Blakeley, of Venners Water, Didcot, has not yet been made by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Prosecutor Matthew Walsh asked Judge Eccles for seven days to make a decision.
His brother Ben Blakeley was convicted of the 17-year-old's murder yesterday and is due to be sentenced this afternoon.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article