Telford 'Superman' pills trial collapses
The trial of a Telford man charged with supplying "Superman" pills containing a substance believed to be responsible for another man's death has collapsed on its sixth day after the presiding judge dismissed the jury.
Damien Malolepszy, 28, of Redlands Road, Hadley, had been on trial at Shrewsbury Crown Court where he denied six drugs offences, including being concerned in the supply of PMMA to Daniel Bagnall who died on New Years Day after taking them.
PMMA pills are also known as "Superman" pills as they are embossed with an "S" logo.
The court was told that one jury member had received medical advice that he was no longer fit enough to continue the trial.
Recorder Nigel Daly told the remaining jury that comments made to some of them by the dismissed juror on the subject of drug dealing mean that there was a "potential perception of unfairness" regarding the trial.
The jury had been asked to write out exactly what comments had been made by the juror.
Recorder Daly said that the responses of some jurors indicated that they had received "particular information concerning the way that drug dealers might operate".
A retrial is set to take place but no date has yet been confirmed.
Malolepszy was remanded in custody.
