THE jury in the trial of a man accused of unlawfully wounding another man who lost an eye after being slashed with a machete, has failed to reach a verdict.

Neil Truelove, a 36-year-old mechanic of Gors y Bwll, Llangwnadl, was found not guilty of a charge of wounding with intent against Neil Brynley Jones, of Pwllheli, following a six-day trial at Caernarfon Crown Court on Tuesday.

Yesterday (Wednesday) the jury forewoman told Recorder Peter Griffiths QC that there was no prospect of at least 10 of them agreeing on a verdict on the lesser charge of wounding if given more time.

Barrister Anna Pope, prosecuting, sought more time to consider the position but the judge ruled that a decision should be made by Friday. He said the incident happened in 2014 and the case had been hanging over the defendant since then.

Recorder Griffiths urged the prosecution to "reflect very carefully". He added: "The need to have this determined this week is paramount."

The incident happened at midnight in June 2014 and is alleged to have occurred when the injured man, Neil Brinley Jones, aged 23, went to Truelove’s remote home with the defendant’s ex-partner Sinita White. Truelove maintains he acted in self defence.

Jurors unanimously cleared the 36-year-old of the wounding with intent charge after more than six hours of deliberations.

They had heard how Truelove struck Mr Jones across the face with a two-foot long machete during an incident at around midnight on Sunday, 15 June 2014.

Mr Jones had turned up at Truelove’s remote Gors y Bwll address with the electrical engineer’s ex-partner Sinita White when a confrontation happened.

Truelove and Miss White had been engaged in a bitter family dispute and prosecutors claimed that the 36-year-old had deliberately attacked both Mr Jones and his former partner in anger.

Giving evidence last week, Miss White described the alleged attack as “unprovoked” and frightening.

She said Truelove struck Mr Jones with what she thought was a metal bar before hitting her with what turned out to be the machete. Miss White was not injured but Mr Jones lost his right eye as a result of the impact of the blade.

Giving evidence in his defence, Truelove told the court that Mr Jones was the aggressor and had shouted to him: “If you don’t come outside now, I’m going to come in there and kill you.”