The jury has been discharged in the trial of a former Labour peer who was accused of sexually abusing two younger children as a teenager.
Nazir Ahmed was charged with two counts of attempting to rape a girl under 16, indecent assault of a boy under 14, and raping a boy under 16, all alleged to have occurred in the early 1970s.
On Wednesday Sheffield crown court heard that Ahmed rejected the allegations as “malicious fiction”.
He was on trial alongside his brothers Mohammed Farouq and Mohammed Tariq, who were charged with indecent assault of a boy under 14.
It was ruled that they were not fit to stand trial, but jurors were told they would still have to determine if they had committed the alleged acts.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges.
On Monday, the judge, Jeremy Richardson QC, told jurors they were being discharged for legal reasons. He said discussions with the prosecution and defence counsel were ongoing.
The prosecution said there was nothing further they could add at present.
