THE jury in the Jinnah Court murder trial will continue its deliberations on Monday in the cases of the four defendants alleged to have been involved in events surrounding the killing of Paul Ackroyd.

The panel of jurors began their deliberations at 2.15pm today after the trial judge, the city’s Recorder Richard Mansell QC, completed his summing up at just after 1pm.

The jury were sent away for the weekend at 4.15pm today, to resume their deliberations on Monday morning.

Mr Ackroyd, 37, is alleged to have died in a sustained assault and dragged dying into the street.

The trial, now in its fourth week, with three men - Alex Bates, 19, of Eastfield Gardens, Holme Wood, Bradford; Rashpal Singh Gill, 40, of Leeds Road, Bradford; and Mohammed Jawaid Khan, 53, of Leylands Lane, Heaton, Bradford - denying the murder of Mr Ackroyd in the early hours of February 23, 2019.

Kirsty Rushworth, 32, of Walker Avenue, Lidget Green, Bradford, denies assisting an offender by removing Mr Ackroyd’s body from a flat at 10 Jinnah Court, Manningham, Bradford. Gill and Khan also deny that charge.

The jury at Bradford Crown Court was told that Bates and Khan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and Gill has admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

The trial continues.