Judge James McCourt directs jury by video-link during isolation

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Judge James McCourt directed a jury in an ongoing criminal trial from home by video-link to Dublin’s Criminal Courts of Justice on 14 September 2020. He was isolating after close contact with someone who had tested positive for Covid-19, although he said he had received a negative test result.

The trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court involved two unnamed brothers who denied indecent assault allegations concerning younger brothers. The jury, which had begun deliberations on 10 September, resumed deliberations after being sent home on 11 September because of the judge’s absence.