Jurors in the trial of two men accused of aggravated burglary were sent home early.

Christopher McKeown, 41, and Shaun Collett, 36, are said by prosecutors to have entered Karl McKenzie’s property in Saxton Road, Abingdon, armed with a machete and a bicycle ‘D’-lock on February 7. They deny allegations of aggravated burglary, causing actual bodily harm and weapons offences.

At Oxford Crown Court this week, McKeown claimed that he had gone to the property with the machete after learning the alleged victim was selling drugs to children and teenagers – a claim the man denies. He told the jury he had not intended to steal from or harm the man.

His co-defendant, Collett, told detectives upon his arrest that he was sleeping at the time of the incident, having got ‘w*****ed’.

The jury was sent home at 2.30pm by Judge Maria Lamb, who is overseeing the trial. Apologising for the lack of action on Friday, she said: “We had hoped and it was, actually, at one point a realistic hope, to start at 12 o’clock but the long and short of it is an issue has arisen.

“It might be possible to resolve it this afternoon but I’m not going to keep you hanging around.”

It was a hot day, she added. “I’m going to let you go home.”

The trial will resume at 10.30am on Monday.

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

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