Jury fails to reach verdict on Birmingham woman accused of attempting to murder boy
The jury have been discharged
The jury in the case of a woman accused of attempting to murder a child by tampering with his medication has failed to reach a verdict.
Prosecutors alleged Emma Jane Williams, 41, from Pype Hayes in Erdington, Birmingham, attempted to kill the youngster, who cannot be identified due to a court order, in January this year by using a syringe to add a substance to the boy’s medication.
Williams denies a single count of attempted murder alleged to have been committed on the date of her arrest.
Jurors, who deliberated for six hours and 44 minutes, were discharged on Friday afternoon after confirming through their foreman that they could not reach a verdict on which at least 10 of them agreed, even if given further time to deliberate.
Judge Paul Farrer KC said: “Ladies and gentlemen, it only remains for me to thank you for your help with this case.
“We are genuinely conscious that you came here to serve as jurors at huge personal inconvenience.”
A further mention hearing in the case was scheduled for July 30.