The jury in the trial of a man accused of decapitating a west London couple before taking some of their body parts in suitcases to the Clifton Suspension Bridge has been discharged.
Yostin Andres Mosquera, 35, was on trial at the Old Bailey for the murders of Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, which allegedly took place on July 8 last year.
The victims shared a flat in Scotts Road, Shepherd's Bush, where the prosecution claims the killings occurred before parts of their remains were transported to the iconic Bristol landmark.
The trial, which began at the end of April, was halted on Thursday when Justice Bennathan informed the court that there had been problems identifying the accurate times of searches made by Mosquera on his laptop.
The jury in the trial of Yostin Andres Mosquera has been dismissed
PA
"We simply have to resolve this before we have a fair trial," Mr Justice Bennathan told the court as he discharged the jury.
The judge stated that the trial "simply cannot continue" due to the technical issues with the evidence.
He thanked jurors for their service and expressed regret about the outcome, saying he was "sorry for where the trial had ended up".
The unexpected halt to proceedings came after prosecutors had already opened their case against Mosquera, presenting their allegations about the gruesome killings and subsequent disposal of remains at the Bristol landmark.
Police at a crime scene in Shepherd's Bush, west London, after human remains were found in two suitcases near the Clifton Suspension BridgePA
Detectives at the scene near Clifton Suspension BridgePA
Mosquera has admitted to the manslaughter of Alfonso by way of loss of self-control, but continues to deny both murder charges he faces.
The court has already set a provisional date for a retrial in June, when a new jury will be selected to hear the case afresh.
Technical issues with the laptop search evidence will need to be resolved before the new trial can proceed, ensuring that accurate timing data is available for the jury to consider.
The case has attracted significant attention due to the shocking nature of the allegations involving decapitation and the disposal of remains at a well-known landmark.