Walker jury goes into day four

Oct 30 2007 by David Higgerson, Liverpool Daily Post

THE jury trying former Mayor of Sefton John Walker and his wife Catie is due to resume its deliberations today.

The jury at Liverpool Crown Court first retired on Thursday but, following more than 12½ hours of deliberation, they had still not agreed any verdicts by last night.

Fifty-seven-year-old Walker and his wife, 48, both deny two charges of two charges involving conspiring to dishonestly obtain Disability Living Allowance between January 1999 and January last year and income support relating to failing to declare that Catie was working for a taxi firm.

It is alleged that John Walker claimed DLA on the basis he could only walk a few yards unaided, had dizzy spells and needed round-the-clock care. He also claimed that he had trouble communicating verbally.

But the jury has heard evidence from a string of witnesses who saw him performing various roles without obvious difficulties.