Leeds St James's Hospital bomb trial halted and jury discharged

At his trial, Mohammed Farooq denied preparing acts of terrorism

The trial of a man charged with planning a terror attack at a hospital and military base has been halted.

Mohammed Farooq, 28, is accused of targeting St James's Hospital in Leeds and RAF Menwith Hill, near Harrogate.

Mr Farooq previously admitted possessing a pressure cooker bomb, but denied preparing acts of terrorism.

The jury at his trial, which started at Sheffield Crown Court in October, has been discharged and a new trial is expected to be listed next year.

Justice Nicholas Hilliard told the court on Thursday there had been "an aspect in the case which came to light" during the trial which needed further investigation.

The judge apologised to jurors, but said there was "no alternative" other than to relist the trial with a new jury in 2024.

"We all try to be optimistic and see solutions and not just problems, but there comes a point where you have to acknowledge you've come to the end of the road," he said.

"We've carried on as far as we can."

Mr Farooq, of Hetton Road, Roundhay, a clinical support worker at St James's Hospital, was told he would remain in custody until the case was relisted.

Mohammed Farooq had planned to detonate a device at St James's Hospital in Leeds, a jury had heard

Mr Farooq was arrested in the grounds of the hospital in Leeds in January this year.

He pleaded not guilty to charges of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts and to possessing an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property.

However, Mr Farooq pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing an explosive substance in suspicious circumstances.

He also admitted possessing a document containing information likely to be useful to a person preparing or committing an act of terrorism, as well as two charges relating to the possession of an imitation firearm.

Defence barrister Gul Nawaz Hussain KC previously told the court that while his client had been "ready and willing" to detonate the home-made bomb at the hospital because of a "sense of anger and grievance" towards work colleagues, he was not motivated by Islamist extremism and not radicalised.

A date for Mr Farooq's new trial had not yet been fixed, Sheffield Crown Court was told.