The jury in the trial of three former Tesco bosses accused of fraud and false accounting has been discharged after one of the defendants suffered a heart attack.
Jurors returned on Monday after a two-week adjournment to learn Judge Deborah Taylor was halting the trial because Carl Rogberg, who was Tesco's UK finance director, was in hospital after a heart attack.
A decision on a possible re-trial will be made on March 2.
Rogberg, 51, was on trial with Christopher Bush, 52, former managing director of Tesco UK, and John Scouler, 49, the former UK food commercial director. All denied any wrongdoing.
The judge at Southwark Crown Court told the jury: "Thank you once again for your patience.
"The position is this: very unfortunately and sadly Mr Rogberg has suffered from a heart attack and is currently in hospital awaiting surgery.
"In the circumstances, it would not be right or proper to continue with this trial and therefore I am discharging you from further dealing with this case.
"It has been a long period and I know it must be quite frustrating for you not to come to a conclusion at the end of all your hard work during the course of this trial."
Nicholas Purnell QC, representing Rogberg, told the court on Monday that he was rushed to hospital on Thursday last week after suffering a major heart attack.
He is due to have surgery later this week after three blockages were found in his heart, Mr Purnell said.
"He has found the delay increasingly stressful," he added.
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