A JURY will resume its deliberations on Monday in the case of a former director whose involvement in an alleged fraud paid for a £37,000 horse, sports car and new home.

Sophie Auston, whose company Auston and Co was set up to sell coal from a drift mine in Derbyshire, has pleaded not guilty to knowingly being a party to the carrying on of a business with intent to defraud creditors and other persons between August 1, 2009 and December 1, 2011.

The 24-year-old, of Alnwick Drive, Spennymoor, County Durham, has admitted she was stupid and made mistakes, but denies any wrong doing.

She told the jury in her trial that her father regularly asked to her sign documents in relation to the business, which she did, without fully understanding what they were.

The jury in the case at Teesside Crown Court, which has lasted ten days, were sent by out by Judge George Moorhouse on Friday afternoon to begin their deliberations over a verdict.

The judge released the panel for the weekend when no verdict was immediately forthcoming.

The trial continues.