The jury in the Nicholas Hoogstraten murder trial tonight went home for a third day without reaching any verdicts.

The Old Bailey jurors will return tomorrow to continue their deliberations.

The six men and six women were delayed starting today after one or more of them suffered travel difficulties.

Mr Justice Newman said arrangements were being made for them to be taken to a hotel overnight on Wednesday and Thursday nights if they have not reached verdicts by then.

A strike has been called on London Underground on Thursday.

Hoogstraten, 57, of High Cross, Framfield, near Uckfield, denies the murder of former Brighton landlord Mohammed Raja, as do two other men, Robert Knapp, 55, of County Limerick, and David Croke, 59, of Bolney Road, Moulsecoomb, Brighton.

Mr Raja was stabbed and shot at point-blank range at his home in Sutton, south London, on July 2 1999.

The prosecution alleges that Hoogstraten hired Knapp and Croke as hitmen to murder Mr Raja after he fell out with him over a number of property deals.

The prosecution claims Hoogstraten was not present when the offence was committed by Knapp and Croke but that he was nevertheless guilty of murder because he counselled, advised, ordered, encouraged or persuaded Knapp to do it.