The jury in the murder retrial of Sion Jenkins, accused of killing his foster daughter in Sussex, was directed to give a majority verdict today.

The six-man, six-woman jury retired for a fifth day to consider the murder charge against the former deputy headteacher.

The judge, Mrs Justice Rafferty, asked the jury if they had agreed a verdict and was told no by the foreman.

She said it could return a verdict where at least ten of them were agreed.

She said: "Listen to others but do not be tempted to compromise your conscience."

Jenkins, 47, of Belgravia, London, denies murdering his 13-year-old foster daughter Billie-Jo in February 1997.

She was bludgeoned to death at the family's home in Hastings, East Sussex.

Jenkins was jailed for life in 1998 but released on bail by the Appeal Court last year, pending the retrial.