The trial of the Island's Attorney General has reached an inconclusive end, with the jury failing to agree on a verdict.
The seven-strong jury returned to court this afternoon (13 Dec) to tell presiding judge they could not reach agreement at the end of their third day of deliberations.
Deemster Birkett told the jury it was not the first time this had occured on the Island and they should not feel in any way that they had failed in their duty. He thanked jury members for their hard work and discharged them.
Fifty-two year old Stephen Harding from Glen Vine had denied charges of perjury and committing acts against public justice, in a case relating to the winding-up of former Island company Street Heritage in 2010 over an unpaid tax bill of £180,000.
It is unclear at this stage what will happen next; Mr Harding remains on bail and the court will reconvene on a date to be fixed.
Mr Harding, the Manx government's senior legal adviser, was suspended from his position in October 2012.
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