THE JURY in the trial of a York charity founder accused of rape has been discharged.

At 3.35pm, the five men and seven woman told Judge Simon Hickey they were unable to decide on their verdicts at the end of a four-day trial.

They had been out for five hours and 33 minutes.

He then discharged them.

They were trying to decide if Gordon Campbell-Thomas, 72, of Ascot Way, Acomb, was guilty or not guilty on two counts of rape.

He had denied both charges. 

The prosecution asked for seven days to decide if it will ask for a retrial. Lawyers for both prosecution and defence will return to court on September 1 to hear its decision, and, if necessary, arrange for a retrial.

Campbell-Thomas was released on bail

The jurors started their deliberations at 3.15pm yesterday and were sent home after they had been deliberating for one hour and 15 minutes.

They returned to their retiring room this morning.

At 2.20pm, the judge called them back into court to ask if they had agreed on their verdicts. Their foreman said no.

He then allowed them to return a verdict on which at least 10 of them agreed. Up to then, they had had to be unanimous in their verdicts.

At 3.35pm they told the judge they didn’t believe they would ever reach either majority or unanimous verdicts.