THE trial of two men accused of sexually abusing 13 schoolgirls will have to begin again after one of the jurors was taken ill.

Osmon Koroma, a labourer, 30, of Norton Road, Hove, and Max N’Gasa, a gardener, 24, of Cranmer Avenue, Hove, are accused of grooming girls in Littlehampton.

Their trial began on Wednesday at Lewes Crown Court but was stopped on Thursday after the juror phoned in sick.

Judge Jeremy Gold considered bringing in a reserve juror who had heard the opening statement by the prosecution but not some subsequent video evidence but judged it might not be within procedural rules to do so.

He decided instead to discharge the jury and start again with a new one so they could hear all the evidence together.

Koroma has been charged with eight offences against six girls: two rapes, five sexual assaults and one offence of sexual activity with a child.

The alleged offences were committed between 2011 and 2014 and the complainants were aged between 13 and 15 at the time.

N’Gasa has been charged with 16 offences against nine girls: two offences of rape, five sexual assaults, one attempted sexual assault and eight offences of sexual activity with a child.

The alleged offences were committed between 2010 and 2012 and the complainants were aged between 13 and 16 at the time.

The trial is due to start again on Monday at Lewes Crown Court.