The jury in the trial of comic Roy "Chubby" Brown's son was discharged yesterday after failing to reach a verdict.

Former youth worker Martin Reilly, 26, faces a retrial after the jury failed to reach a decision, despite deliberating for seven hours.

The prosecution at Teesside Crown Court, Middlesbrough, alleged Reilly had attempted to murder motorist Trevor Finn in a "road rage" shooting at Billingham, Teesside, on July 4, last year.

Reilly, of Cotswold Crescent, Billingham, was later said to have holed up for five days in a friend's caravan at Knaresborough before giving himself up to police.

Reilly admitted firing a single cartridge from a double-barrelled shotgun pistol in the attack on July 4 last year, but he denied attempted murder.

He claimed he had received death threats and demands for £10,000 in a string of anonymous phone calls because people thought he had access to his father's wealth.

He said he armed himself "for protection" because he was scared for his own safety and feared he was being followed.

He wrongly believed Mr Finn, who he accepted was a total stranger, might have been "part of the plan" to harass him.

Prosecutor Adrian Dent said when the jury was discharged: "The prosecution do seek to retry this defendant."

Reilly was remanded in custody at Holme House Prison, Stockton, Teesside, to stand trial on a date to be fixed.

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