DE BELIN JUROR CASHES OUT
THE jury in Jack de Belin’s sexual assault trial has been dismissed an hour after they were empanelled because a juror wanted more money.
A new bunch of potential jurors will be assessed on Wednesday for their suitability in the three-week trial.
The St George Illawarra star forward and his friend Callan Sinclair have pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman after a Christmas pub crawl in 2018.
Both men maintain their sexual encounter with her was consensual.
Judge Nicole Noman SC told Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court it was the “most unfortunate circumstance” having to empanel 12 new jurors.
“We can discharge this jury and bring in a new jury as soon as possible,” she told the court, which included a cohort of family members and media. She told the court the juror wrote a letter during a morning break to say they would not be able to live off the small government allowance offered to jurors.
The casually employed person was worried they would be unable to afford rent. A jury member receives $106 per day for the first two weeks. After that, it is $257 each day. If a juror has to travel to court, they receive 30c per kilometre.