Brisbane juror could go to jail for two years after making Facebook inquires about trial

A Brisbane juror could spend two years in jail after it was discovered that they used Facebook to conduct their own inquiries into a murder trial.

The trial of 72-year-old Lawrence Alfred Gaskell was aborted earlier this week after it was found that a juror had used the social media website to seek further information on both the suspect and the victim.

Mr Gaskell had been charged with murdering his ex-wife Katarina Gaskell with a hammer in October, 2011.

The two-week trial was in its tenth day when Justice Jean Dalton dismissed the jury and ordered a transcript of the juror’s Internet record.

Queensland Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie will decide if the juror will face prosecution, with a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment for any jury member found to breach their code of conduct.