The trial of two women accused of human trafficking and facilitating prostitution in areas including Tipperary has collapsed.
The pair were before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court accused of trafficking two Brazilian women to Ireland to work as prostitutes.
32 year old Natalia Nogueira Da Silva, of Cairn Hill View, Drumlish, Co Longford, pleaded not guilty to one count of human trafficking a woman at an unknown location on dates between March and May 2019.
However, she did plead guilty to one count of organising prostitution at an unknown location in Ireland between December 2018 and May 2019.
Her co-accused, 46 year old Lisa Vailones Fidelis of Castle Manor, Racecourse Road, Roscommon pleaded not guilty to all 18 counts against her including two counts of human trafficking, one count of organising prostitution and money laundering charges on dates between 2015 and 2020.
The opening two weeks of the trial heard the two Brazilian women were trafficked and required to work as prostitutes at various locations across the country, including Thurles and Cashel.
The jury heard one victim was living “hand to mouth” in Brazil and came to Ireland to save enough money to open a hairdressers back home.
However, soon after both victims arrived in Ireland, they realised it was expected they would engage in prostitution.
The trial collapsed due to “unforeseen circumstances” on Wednesday.
Presiding judge Patricia Ryan said that the trial will restart later this month, and discharged the jury.
She thanked them for their service and said that a new jury will be sworn in in due course.
