Soccer stars face retrial

Jonathan Woodgate: Charged with teammate

HULL, England -- Two footballers charged with attacking an Asian student face a retrial after the judge dismissed the jury while it was considering its verdicts.

The judge at Hull Crown Court, Mr Justice Poole, said an article in the national Sunday Mirror newspaper had created a serious risk of prejudice to the trial that it was impossible to go on.

England international Jonathan Woodgate, former England U-21 captain Lee Bowyer, and two friends, Neale Caveney and Paul Clifford, are charged with grievous bodily harm following an attack on Sarfraz Najeib.

All the men, who also face charges of affray, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The jury was discharged after deliberating for more than 21 hours over three days in a trial which had cost £8 million ($11.5 million).

RESOURCES  • Leeds United profile  • Bowyer profile  • Woodgate profile

The judge said he was "deeply concerned" by the Sunday Mirror story in which the victim's father Muhammad Najeib suggested the attack had been racially motivated.

"Whatever the intentions behind that publication the effect for now is that all of that effort has been derailed."

Mr Justice Poole said the two footballers and Clifford and Caveney could face further legal proceedings.

Bowyer: Further proceedings to come

Nicholas Campbell QC, prosecuting, said the Crown had already decided to have a retrial.

Fellow Leeds United player Michael Duberry walked free from court last Thursday after the jury found him not guilty of conspiracy to pervert justice. Woodgate was also found not guilty on the same charges.

The £5 million former Chelsea defender Duberry embraced Woodgate following the verdict.

Clifford and Caveney were also cleared of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

During the eight-week trial at Hull Crown Court there have been 60 witnesses giving evidence, including the three footballers.

Duberry told the court he had lied to police about the alleged attack, saying he had wanted to protect his best friend Woodgate.

Najeib, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was left unconscious following an attack by a group of men near the Majestyk nightclub in Leeds, North England. He also suffered a broken leg and fractured cheekbone.

A statement from Leeds United football club said officials "are not in any position to comment about the events today at Hull Crown Court."

Reuters contributed to this report.

Jury clears Leeds Utd footballer
Footballers' assault trial nears end

Hull Crown Court
Leeds United Football Club

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.