Jury in the Stardust inquests ‘very close’ to reaching verdicts

The jury in the Stardust inquests are “very close” to reaching their verdicts, the court has been told.

It is the tenth day the seven women and five men have been deliberating.

The inquests into the deaths of 48 people after a fire at the Stardust nightclub in Artane, north Dublin, began in April last year and have heard evidence from 373 people.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 1981.

The inquests, which are the longest held in Ireland, have been sitting for almost a year.

On Tuesday afternoon, Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane asked the jury what progress is being made in their deliberations, and whether they are close to reaching agreement or needed more time.

The foreman said they were “almost there” but had a number of questions.

“We need to put the final wording together at the moment,” he told the coroner.

Dr Cullinane asked the foreman if they feel they are coming close to a verdict.

“Very close,” the foreman replied.

The jury returned at around 1pm with four questions for the coroner.

One question was guidance on the timings of the deaths, and whether the jurors had to be specific or approximate in the timings.

The jury also put forward further questions about the two stage test that applies to the unlawful killing verdict.

The coroner provided the answers on Tuesday afternoon before adjourning the day’s deliberations.

In her charge to the jury last month, the corner told the jury there were five verdicts open to them which are: accidental death, death by misadventure, unlawful killing, open verdict, or a narrative verdict.

On Wednesday, it will mark one year since the jury in the inquests were selected and sworn in.