JURORS in the Paul Irwin murder trial at Carlisle Crown Court have been sent home for the day after failing to reach a verdict.

The 50-year-old defendant this week admitted the manslaughter of his on-off partner Tiffany Render, 34, but he denies murder. Irwin has also admitted sexually assaulting Miss Render.

The two-week trial has heard that she died from massive blood loss while she was at Irwin's George Street flat in Whitehaven on March 22. The court has heard extensive evidence about the couple’s 16-month relationship.

The prosecution case is that Miss Render was a vulnerable woman, “trapped” in a relationship characterised by Irwin’s “controlling and violent behaviour”, which was followed by “apology, pleading, and reconciliation.”

Irwin denies that there was a “cycle of violence” that culminated in him subjecting Miss Render to “severe force” resulting in a "blunt force trauma" on the night she died.   

Jurors have been deliberating for two hours and fifteen minutes. As she dismissed the jury panel for the day at 4.30pm, Mrs Justice Foster told them: “You are under no pressure whatsoever.

“It is just the end of the court day.

"It is essential that you don’t speak to anyone outside the jury about this case.” She also again cautioned jurors to undertake no independent research about the case. 

She reminded them to resume their deliberations only when all 12 jurors - four men and eight women - are  back together at court tomorrow morning.