The jury tasked with deciding whether or not a pub boss stole £93,000 from his own pub haven't been able to reach a verdict.

Last week Liam Sanders, of Port Rise, Chatham, was on trial accused of regularly stealing a day's takings from The Clipper in High Street, Dartford.

It was alleged the 32-year-old pocketed thousands of pounds cash from the pub's busiest nights instead of cashing it at the bank.

Following a week-long trial at the Nightingale Court at Mercure Great Danes Hotel near Maidstone, the jury was sent out on Monday morning.

However, the four men and eight women have now been discharged after failing to reach a verdict.

Sanders, who was accused of pocketing the cash and spending it on lavish holidays, will now face a retrial.

The former Gravesend man was investigated by police after admitting to stealing £9,700 from the pub in January 2019.

He was confronted by directors from MFA Properties, who run the Dartford pub, after an accountant at the head office noticed only six out of seven banking slips had been submitted for the previous four weeks.

After originally blaming the bank for the mistake, Sanders admitted to taking the sum to allegedly help a family member in financial difficulty. Sanders said he then became greedy after taking money the first time and took nearly £10,000.

Sanders paid back the full amount – £7,000 in cash the following day and £2,700 by bank transfer after selling his car and getting a loan – within two weeks.

During the week-long hearing, prosecutor Mark Hunsley told the court explained how, after police searched Sanders' home, they found a number of travel bookings.

Four holidays, two to Mexico, Iceland and Amsterdam totalled just less than £10,000.

Records from TUI and Thomas Cook showed the majority of these were paid off with substantial cash payments of between £800 to £1,000.

However, the former Northfleet Technology College student claims his wealthy grandad, who died in 2018, would pay for holidays and treats for him and his partner.

Sanders also claimed his grandad paid for a deposit for a new flat in cash, as well as an engagement ring from H. Samuel.

Defence barrister John Lyons claimed police didn't do a proper job in gathering evidence from MFA Properties, which runs The Clipper Pub.

He said time sheets - which placed Sanders at the scene of the crime around 40 times when money went missing - weren't accurate.

Mr Lyons argued that on one occasion when money went missing, it was assumed Sanders had been at the pub to bank it. But evidence from a rota at AMF Lewisham, where he had been helping out in a managerial position, suggested otherwise.

It was explained Sanders also worked at bowling centres in Whitstable, Chatham, Lewisham, Weymouth and Southend.

In his closing speech, Mr Lyons said the fact Sanders was on a work rota for AMF Lewisham when money was alleged to be taken should mean it was impossible for the jury to be sure he was guilty.