The trial of Linda Britton, who is accused of killing her daughter and another woman during a street fight on the New South Wales Mid North Coast, has been abandoned and a new trial will take place in Sydney.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this story contains the names of people who have died.
Judge Jonathan Priestly discharged the jury from the Coffs Harbour District Court yesterday, meaning Ms Britton will have to wait until October next year for her case to be heard.
The grandmother was charged with manslaughter and other offences after she allegedly drove into and killed her daughter, 24-year-old Skye Luland, and 20-year-old Kazzandra Widders, who were fighting in a car park outside the Nambucca Plaza on September 28, 2019.
Before the trial was aborted yesterday the jury had retired to consider a verdict after hearing from more than 20 witnesses over the course of three weeks.
'Recipe for disaster'
During a mention in court on Friday, Mr Priestly said the earliest date for a new trial would be October 10 next year in Sydney.
"It sounds like a recipe for disaster, quite frankly," he said.
But Crown prosecutor Jo Smith said she would have applied to move the proceedings to Sydney because of the local publicity the case was attracting.
Mr Priestly said he was surprised by the Crown's position and said he thought some of the witnesses would have been "bad travellers".
"I was trying to help the Crown," he said.
Mr Priestly adjourned the matter for mention on March 2 at Coffs Harbour District Court.
Ms Britton has pleaded not guilty to two charges of manslaughter and alternate charges of dangerous driving.
The 54-year-old remains on bail.
