A JURY was discharged after it failed to decide if a couple had made a bogus insurance claim relating to a burglary.

But Sharon Thorne was found guilty of false accounting in relation to making an Income Support claim.

Thorne and her husband John had also been charged with obtaining money by deception but despite several hours' deliberation the jury could not agree a verdict. Following the discharge of the jury a new hearing will take place on Friday next week so the Crown Prosecution Service can consider its position.

The court had earlier been told that John Thorne admitted lying to police when he was questioned about thousands of pounds worth of property taken during a burglary at his Leigh home.

He claimed he had retrieved some of the stolen goods through contacts with criminals he knew.

Thorne said he would not have told the police about getting his property back but said his wife was going to inform the insurance company.

But he admitted the insurance company was only told after police had raided his house and found property identical to that he claimed had been stolen.

Sharon, aged 34, and John Thorne, aged 39, of Rutland Street in Leigh, had been on trial at Bolton Crown Court all this week.

The couple denied attempting to obtain money by deception and Sharon Thorne had also denied false accounting in respect of an Income Support application.