Sex trial judge will accept majority verdict from jury

A jury trying the case of a man accused of the multiple sexual abuse of a child has been told majority verdicts will be acceptable.

She wrote down her experiences at the time in a letter to herself.

A complaint was made to the police several years later.

The jury retired to consider its verdicts on Thursday morning.

Judge Sean Morris summoned the panel to court after lunch to tell them he would now accept verdicts on which at least 10 jurors agreed.

Smith, 50, of Lindisfarne, Peterlee, denies nine charges of sexual activity with a child.

Proceeding.