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Four jurors caused a major shooting trial to collapse after doing their own research on the defendants and sharing it with jurors.

The case, involving shootings in Nottingham and Derbyshire with multiple defendants, began in October 2019 but was dismissed the following March.

Tina Denning, Ann-Marie Fletcher, Sharon Doughty and Jamie Lowe were sentenced after admitting to the charges.

His actions are said to have cost the taxpayer more than £1.4m.

The case began after two shootings: the first in Upper Langwith, Derbyshire, in October 2018, where shots entered a house and narrowly missed a woman inside.

The second was a month later at the Das Kino bar in Nottingham city center when a 24-year-old was hit in the arm. His injuries were not life-threatening.

After the jury was sworn in on October 2, 2019, jurors were warned that they should not conduct their own investigation into any aspect of the case, as doing so would be a criminal offense.

Nottinghamshire Police said that when they withdrew to consider the verdicts in February 2020, concerns about the conduct of some jurors were raised.

The investigation of the mobile phones revealed that Denning, Fletcher, Doughty and Lowe had used their devices to conduct their own online investigation related to the case.

The trial failed and the judge ordered a new one.

Several defendants were eventually jailed for their part in the two “brazen and cowardly” shootings.

Fletcher, 41, from Ironville, Derbyshire, admitted to six investigative offenses by a juror and received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. He must also do 120 hours of unpaid work.

Doughty, 51, from Mountsorrel, Leicestershire, was also given a six-month sentence, suspended for 12 months and ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to two investigative offenses by a juror. and one for research dissemination. by a member of the jury.

Denning, 50, from Nottingham, was sentenced to four months in jail, suspended for 12 months and forced to do 80 hours of unpaid work. He admitted to one count of investigation by a juror and one count of disclosure of investigation by a juror.

Lowe, 27, of Long Eaton, Derbyshire, admitted to four investigative offenses by a juror and was given a four-month sentence, suspended for 12 months and ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work.

Det Ch Insp Mark Sinski said: “Not only did this offense result in significant monetary waste to the public purse, but the collapse of the trial meant that witnesses had to go through the traumatic experience of giving their testimony again in a retrial, as well as cause delay in the resolution of the case.”

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Andrew Baxter added: “Despite numerous reminders during the trial, these four failed to comply with the strict and careful instructions given by the trial judge while performing this highly important public function.”