Rape trial halted after incident

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An incident involving a witness in the presence of jurors outside the courtroom, has led to a rape trial being aborted in the High Court at Christchurch.

The incident took place during the trial's lunch adjournment.

Justice Lester Chisholm halted the trial after hearing legal argument on the first afternoon of the scheduled three-day hearing.

Nicholas James Franklin, 29, a chef, denies a charge of raping a girl who was aged 17 at the time, in an incident at a house in Rangiora in April last year.

The trial will restart with a new jury panel tomorrow.

All other details of the first morning's hearing and the incident have been suppressed.

- NZPA