A Supreme Court trial about the aggravated armed robbery of the Mowbray Hotel in 2018 was adjourned until Monday after a juror was unable to attend on Friday because of illness.
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Justice Robert Pearce told the remaining 11 jurors that it was his preference to adjourn so that the trial could continue with a full contingent.
"It is very likely that the trial would have continued until Monday anyway," he said.
In other news:
Michael Samuel Charlesworth, 24, and Matthew Luke Williams, 27, have pleaded not guilty to the May 9, 2018 crime.
Crown prosecutor John Ransom previously told the jury that it is a circumstantial case with DNA linking Messrs Charlesworth and Williams to a number of items of clothing and distinctive red gloves used in the robbery.
Defence counsel Evan Hughes and Jessie Sawyer have submitted that the identity of the men who committed the crime cannot be established beyond reasonable doubt.
The Mowbray Hotel was robbed about 8.40pm on a Wednesday night when two heavily disguised men wearing red gloves stole a till tray containing $1684.
The Crown alleges Mr Williams hit an employee over the head with a machete and that Mr Charlesworth was armed with a small axe.
This week, a former partner gave evidence that Mr Williams was absent from their Rocherlea home for about an hour that evening.
However, under cross examination she agreed that she had told police in 2018 that he was away for 20 minutes before they travelled to George Town.
Police located the utility at Mayfield and found two associates of Mr Charlesworth, Ziggy Brunskill and his brother Brandon Charlesworth.
The next morning police seized numerous clothing items, the till tray, the machete and axe in an unused washing machine in a garage at a house in Verdun St, Mowbray.
The jury heard that DNA linked Mr Charlesworth to several items from the washing machine including a black backpack, a pair of black shoes and the red gloves.
Mr Williams' DNA was found on a grey hooded jacket, a blue cap and a second pair of red gloves.
DNA linked Mr Brunskill to the utility and a backpack, while Brandon Charlesworth was linked to the machete and the same backpack. Both men denied involvement when they appeared in court.
Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
