The jury remains out at Manchester Crown Court after nearly five hours of deliberating whether Rabbi Baruch Chalomish and his co-defendent, Nasir Abbas, were indeed running commercial cocaine parties.
Summing up the case, Judge Michael Henshell directed the jury of five men and seven women to return only a unanimous verdict on each defendant's guilt over each count of possession of a controlled drug and possession with intent to supply cocaine.
Focusing on the character evidence submitted in court, he said Rabbi Chalomish was a man "devoted to his religious studies and practices"," committed to his late wife, "who became emotional every time she was mentioned in court.
"His good character supports that you believe him," said the judge, who advised the jurors that a defendant does not have to prove his innocence, the burden of proof is on the prosecution.
