A police officer is facing jail after a rape trial collapsed when he researched the defendant and told other members of the jury about what he found, a court heard.

Sgt Jason Carr, 52, was charged with rarely used “juror misconduct” which carries a sentence of up to two years.

He is accused of sharing information he had gleaned from the internet with the rest of the jury panel.

Carr had earlier been warned by a judge not to look up the defendant on the internet or research any details about the sexual allegations against him when he was sworn in to try the case.

But it was said he conducted a number of searches on the internet for information about any offences of rape carried out in the Northwich area in June 2020 - where the suspect lives - and also any details on the defendant himself.

He then shared his findings with at least three named jurors after they had been sent out to reach a verdict by trial judge Michael Leeming.

Carr given unconditional bail 

Investigations began after concerned members of the jury at Chester Crown Court told staff who then alerted Judge Leeming.

The case was already into a retrial after a previous jury failed to reach a verdict and was abandoned as a result - and a second retrial had to be ordered. It meant witnesses having to give evidence again.

At Chester Magistrates’ Court, Carr, who serves with Cheshire Police indicated guilty pleas to charges of being a member of a jury carrying out research and also to sharing information with a jury under the Juries Act 1974.

He was given an unconditional bail and is expected to be sentenced later at Liverpool Crown Court following the preparation of pre-sentence reports. Cheshire Police has been contacted for comment.

The incident comes 20 years after the Criminal Justice Act 2003, which was brought in under Tony Blair’s Labour government, meant anyone involved in the administration of justice - including barristers, judges and police staff - were made eligible for jury service.

Previously police officers had been exempt from jury service due fears of possible bias and extensive knowledge of the workings of the criminal justice system.

At the time of the law change Police Federation officials urged David Blunkett, then home secretary, to overturn the new rule claiming the presence of officers on juries would be challenged by defence lawyers, cause bureaucratic issues. They also warned the rule would take police officers off the beat and prevent them from detecting crimes over long periods.

'Witnesses were vulnerable' 

The investigation into Carr, who lives in Cheshire, began in April last year after he was empanelled on a jury trying a man from Northwich charged with rape following an alleged incident in June 2020.

Adam Till, prosecuting, said: “He was serving on a jury at Chester Crown Court with Judge Michael Leeming and it was a rape trial. This defendant had been given the standard direction about not carrying out any research but he ignored the advice and carried out the research.

“During the course of the deliberations he chose to disclose that information to other members of the jury panel.

“Fortunately, it was brought to the court’s attention and the jury was discharged. There was a retrial in respect of matters before the court. A third trial was required.

“The witnesses were both vulnerable and had to attend court on a third occasion. Mr Carr made significant admissions in interview.”

Joseph Kotrie-Monson, Carr’s lawyer, said his client was indicating guilty pleas ahead of the crown court appearance.

The court heard that judges at Chester Crown Court have said that it was “appropriate” that the matter be dealt with at Liverpool.

Under section 20A of the Juries Act 1974 it is an offence for a juror to research the case they are dealing with during the trial period. Under section 20B it is an offence to intentionally disclose information to another member of the jury during the trial period that has been obtained by the illicit research. The maximum sentence is two years jail.