THE JURY is reconvening at Armagh Crown Court this morning to consider its verdict in the trial of Robert Black (64) who is charged with the murder 30 years ago of Jennifer Cardy (9).
Paedophile child-killer Black, who is already serving a minimum of 35 years in prison in England for the murders of three young girls in Britain in the 1980s, is accused of abducting and murdering the girl close to her home in Ballinderry, near Lisburn, Co Antrim, in August 1981.
Her body was discovered 18 miles away in a dam near Hillsborough, Co Down.
Mr Justice Weatherup finished his summing-up to the jury of nine women and three men yesterday morning. The judge told them they could return a verdict of not guilty, of guilty, or of not guilty but guilty of manslaughter.
Shortly after 3.30pm yesterday Mr Justice Weatherup sent the jury home, asking them to return to the court this morning.
He asked them to try to agree a unanimous verdict but told them he might be prepared to accept a majority decision if 10 of them agreed a verdict. Black, who is originally from Stirlingshire in Scotland, denies the charges.
