Soccer: Duberry tells court he 'stayed at home'

Michael Duberry has denied returning to the scene of the attack on an Asian student to see if the "coast was clear" for Jonathan Woodgate to return to a nearby Leeds hotel.

Duberry drove Woodgate and his four friends to his home in his black Range Rover after the attack on Sarfraz Najeib in January last year, Hull Crown Court has heard.

Mr Najeib, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, suffered serious injuries including a broken leg and fractured cheekbone.

The jury has been told that Woodgate admitted to Duberry that he had been involved in a fight and that his friend Paul Clifford had bitten "one of the lads".

Duberry told the court that, after he took Woodgate, Clifford, Neale Caveney, James Hewison and Tony Robinson back to his home in Woodlesford, he stayed there.

The court heard that Woodgate spoke to team-mate Michael Bridges on the phone at Duberry's home and was told that the Asian "was half dead" and there were a lot of police in the area.

Duberry told the jury he booked taxis for Woodgate and his friends to return to the Marriott Hotel, which is close to Mill Hill where 20-year-old Mr Najeib was kicked and beaten senseless.

Woodgate and his friends from the North East were staying at the luxury hotel for the night.

Nicholas Campbell QC said to Duberry: "You are a friend of Jonathan Woodgate. He was in serious trouble. He was being sent back from your house to the area where the assault had taken place.

"Did you not think he may be in trouble if there was still a large police presence in the area of the Marriott?"

Duberry replied: "He wanted a taxi. I called him a taxi. At that point I did not think in my mind how can I help Woody get out of this mess. "

The court has heard from a window cleaner working that night who said he saw a black four-wheel drive vehicle pull up at the top of Mill Hill.

England international Woodgate, 21, of Middlesbrough, Leeds United midfielder Lee Bowyer, 24, of Leeds, Caveney and Clifford, both 21, of Middlesbrough, deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Najeib.

They also deny affray.

Duberry, Woodgate, Clifford and Caveney also deny conspiracy to pervert the course of justice after the attack.