A jury in the Central Criminal Court trial of a Dublin man accused of sexually abusing his nephew has been sent home for the weekend after failing to reach a verdict.
The 68-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to 44 counts which include 13 counts of indecent assault, 12 counts of indecent assault involving penetration, eight counts of sexual assault and 11 counts of rape at locations in Dublin and Mayo between 1989 and 1992.
The boy was aged between 12 and 16 at the time of the alleged offences.
Mr Justice Barry White sent the jury of two women and 10 men home after they had been deliberating for just over five hours on day four of the trial.
The jurors will return on Tuesday to resume their deliberations on the case.
The man had taken the stand and said he “categorically denies” ever abusing the complainant either verbally, physically or sexually.
The accused also denied allegations that he took the boy to the Phoenix Park in Dublin and gave him pornographic magazines to look at while he performed sexual acts on him.