Jury in trial of man accused of two suitcase murders discharged

The jury in the trial of a man accused of decapitating a couple before taking some of their remains in suitcases to the Clifton Suspension Bridge has been discharged.

Yostin Andres Mosquera, 35, was on trial for the murders of Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, on July 8 last year in the flat the two shared in Scotts Road, Shepherd’s Bush, west London.

The prosecution opened its case at the Old Bailey at the end of last month but on Thursday Mr Justice Bennathan discharged the jury.

He said there had been problems identifying the accurate times of searches made by Mosquera on his laptop, which had been used as evidence in the trial.

The judge told jurors that the trial “simply cannot continue”.

“We simply have to resolve this before we have a fair trial,” he added.

Mr Justice Bennathan thanked jurors for the service and said he was sorry for where the trial had “ended up”.

Mosquera has admitted the manslaughter of Mr Alfonso by way of loss of self-control, but denies both charges of murder.

A provisional retrial date has been fixed for June, where a new jury will be selected.