Jury to deliver verdicts in Stardust fire inquests

By PA reporter

A jury will later deliver its verdicts in the inquests of 48 people who died in a nightclub fire in Dublin more than 40 years ago.

The foreman of the jury in the Stardust fire inquests told coroner Myra Cullinane on Wednesday that majority verdicts had been reached after 11 days of deliberation.

The coroner deferred the delivery of the verdicts until 2pm on Thursday to give family members of those who died in the tragedy time to gather at Dublin District Coroner’s Court.

The devastating blaze at the Stardust nightclub in Artane, north Dublin, broke out in the early hours of Valentine’s Day 1981.

The fresh inquests, which were directed by Ireland’s attorney general, have been the longest held in Ireland, with proceedings commencing one year ago.

On Wednesday, the foreman told Ms Cullinane that the jury’s seven women and five men could not reach a unanimous verdict.

The coroner then said she would accept a simple majority of seven and allowed the jury’s deliberations to continue.

Fifteen minutes later, the jury returned and confirmed it had reached majority verdicts.

Ms Cullinane said she would defer the announcement of the verdicts and findings to Thursday to allow interested persons and family members to make arrangements to attend court or watch online.