Alleged killers 'mistakenly' cleared in £1m trial by forewoman before judge recalls jury

Keise's family left were tearful and shaken after leaving court on Wednesday.

The jury, which was reduced from 12 to 11 following a death before Christmas, deliberated for 10 hours and 46 minutes when the court assembled for what many anticipated would be a clear majority verdict.

However, the jury forewoman was twice asked if verdicts had been reached.

The defendants, all from south London, were initially found not guilty.

Judge Charles Gratwicke, who came out of retirement to hear the case, reassembled the court shortly after the jury was discharged.

He received a jury note indicating a "mistake" had been made.

The decision to recall the jury and question the forewoman was opposed by defence barristers.

However, Judge Gratwicke asked if she had made a "mistake" when she said the jury had reached unanimous verdicts.

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The forewoman confirmed a mistake was made, simply saying: "Yes."

Judge Gratwicke told jurors he would now accept a verdict whereby 10 of them agreed and told them to resume deliberations.

Jurors were yet again discharged on Thursday after deliberating for 12 hours and 44 minutes.

When asked if a majority verdict had been reached, the forewoman initially replied: "No."

She quickly corrected herself and found Paul Yusuff not guilty of possessing a blade or point.

Jurors were unable to agree on verdicts in relation to two other charges.

The Yusuff brothers were charged with both murder and the lesser alternative of manslaughter.

The defendants, including Traore, deny all the charges against them.

Judge Gratwicke excused the jury from service for 10 years after they were discharged.

Defence barrister Kerim Fuad KC was "extremely troubled" by the ordeal as he expressed concern about whether his clients were being detained “illegally”.

Prosecutors have been given seven days to consider whether or not to seek a retrial.

Jurors had been told how Keise was chased and surrounded by the three men in the early hours of October 29 in 2022.

He was rushed to hospital where he later died from his injuries after allegedly being stabbed in the back three times.

Keise had spent the evening drinking with friends near Stamford Street and ended up in Lower Marsh near Waterloo Station shortly after 2am.

Prosecutor William Davis had said: “Within just a few minutes, an innocuous, minor and quite insignificant disagreement grew to an altercation and then escalated into a period of uncontrolled violence quite out of any proportion to the initiating event – all taking place in the streets of central London.”

CCTV footage from the incident allegedly showed the three defendants surrounding the victim.