A JURY will continue deliberations today in the case of former Darlington FC chairman Reg Brealey, who is accused of breaking bankruptcy law.

The jury sent a note to the judge yesterday saying they were divided, but they were told to continue their deliberations, at London's Blackfriars Crown Court, today.

Mr Brealey, 66, was declared bankrupt in October 1998 but is accused of continuing in the management of his firm, Antrac Investments, the majority owner of Grantham Town FC.

Mr Brealey, who has sat on the boards of Lincoln City, Sheffield United, Darlington FC and Grantham Town owed more than £3m - mostly to the Inland Revenue. Although he had more than £16m of assets at the time, he was declared bankrupt as he could not convert them into cash.

Mr Brealey accepts he carried on working for Antrack after October 1998, but only as an unpaid consultant.

David Martin-Sperry, in his closing speech, said he wondered how much common sense had been applied in bringing proceedings against his client, a man of no previous convictions and of considerable achievements.

He said that witnesses called by the Crown had failed to support the claim that Mr Brealey was a bankrupt involving himself in the management of a company.

Mr Brealey of Beck Street, Welbourn, Lincs, denies being an undischarged bankrupt involved in the management of a company.

The case was adjourned until today.