A murder trial ended in scenes of violence at Worcester Crown Court after spectators in the public gallery shouted abuse when the jury was unable to reach a verdict after more than nine hours.
Glass showered into Court One as one man punched out a window from the gallery steps and in the struggle to arrest him, court liaison officer Pc Steve Penson was cut on the head.
Other men and women joined in the fight, which spilled into the cafe area. Chairs and tables were knocked over and plainclothes officers were thrown aside as they went to help their uniformed colleague.
Order was eventually restored when, after a 999 call to the nearby city police station, other officers arrived.
A large crowd of disgruntled spectators was eventually ushered outside and milled around in the forecourt for some time.
They had expected a verdict in the trial of Lithuanian-born Andrei Mackevic, of no fixed address, who had denied the murder of 17-year-old Daren Loader, of Whitecross, Hereford, on March 12 last year.
He was battered to death in an underpass.
But after a retirement of nine hours and 20 minutes over three days, the jury foreman confessed they would be unable to reach a majority verdict, even if given more time.
Judge Alistair McCreath discharged them, saying they should not feel failures. It was better that they should not be compromised into returning a verdict which they did not think was right.
There were abusive shouts from the public gallery and one woman juror was reduced to tears. The judge said he would try to fix a date for a re-trial as soon as possible.
Mackevic was remanded in custody.
Sentencing of another Lithuanian, Virunas Kalasnikovas, aged 23, of Martin Street, Hereford, who has already pleaded guilty to Mr Loader’s murder, was adjourned until the second trial has taken place.
Later, calling for calm, Herefordshire Chief Supt Kevin Purcell said: “The situation hasn’t changed, people still stand accused and it would serve the memory of Daren best by letting this go through the courts.”
