BARBARA GAYLE, Staff Reporter

The man accused of murdering Australian national Brian Johnston is to face another trial in the St James Circuit Court.

A 12-member jury, after retiring for more than 90 minutes last week, failed to arrive at a verdict during the trial of 38-year-old Adrian Forrester of Montego Bay.

The jury deliberated for one hour and said they were not unanimous.

Acting Supreme Court Judge Marva McDonald-Bishop gave them further directions and on their return, the foreman said they were "deadlocked" and could not reach a unanimous verdict.

The judge then discharged the jury and ordered a retrial.

Forrester is charged with the August 2006 murder of Australian national Brian Johnston at the Gloucestershire Hotel on Montego Bay's 'Hip Strip'.

Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Dirk Harrison and Crown Counsel Loxley Ricketts called 17 witnesses, including forensic and DNA experts who said that Forrester's blood was found in the dead man's room.

Several blood types

Cross-examined by defence lawyers Winston Douglas and Sheron Barnes, the expert witnesses admitted that at least one other blood type was found in the room, apart from that of the accused and the deceased man.

Forrester gave an unsworn statement in which he admitted going to the room, but he said he left the 'white man and a black woman' there after parting a fight between them.