The jury in the trial at the Central Criminal Court of a 21-year-old Co Wexford man, charged with raping his 12-year-old niece, has been sent to a hotel for the night. Mrs Justice McGuinness sent the jury away for the night when it failed to reach a verdict after three hours of deliberations on the fourth day of the trial.
Earlier, the jury viewed a recording of evidence given by the girl by video-link on the first day of the trial.
The accused denies a number of charges of rape and sexual assault on his niece between 1995 and 1997. He originally faced 27 charges.
Mrs Justice McGuinness directed the jury to find him not guilty on a number of these including nine charges of unlawful carnal knowledge. She also told the jury of seven men and five women that it may now bring in majority verdicts.
The jury will continue its deliberations today.