THE trial of the man accused of murdering Duncan Banks in his Abbeyview home was abandoned today.

Steven Thomson is accused of killing the 39-year-old at a flat in Skye Road, Dunfermline, in September 2015.

He is also charged with possession of heroin.

But the trial at the High Court in Livingston was abandoned after a juror volunteered information that disqualified him from sitting in judgment on the case.

Judge Lady Rae discharged the individual concerned then told the remaining 14 jurors that the Crown was deserting the case for the time being.

She discharged the entire jury and revealed that a new jury would sit tomorrow so that the prosecution of Steven Thomson could start afresh.

Thomson, 29, a prisoner at Perth, is accused of murdering Mr Banks in his home by repeatedly hitting him on the head with a blunt object or objects to his severe injury and robbing him of money, heroin, a wallet and a key.

He is also charged with possessing the class A drug at Mr Banks' home and elsewhere in Dunfermline between July 1 and October 13 2015.

The Crown alleges that he committed both offences while on bail granted at Ayr Sheriff Court on August 7 2015 for an alleged domestic offence.

Thomson denies the charges and will rely on a special defence of incrimination which alleges that a mutual friend carried out the murder.

Mr Banks was found dead in his Skye Road flat on Monday September 28 2015 after sustaining multiple head injuries from an unidentified weapon.