Kewell libel jury sent home for weekend

HARRY KEWELL’S libel action against TV pundit Gary Lineker has been sent away until Monday.

Mr Justice Eady, at London’s High Court, told the panel of six men and six women that they would be released while legal submissions continued.

He said it was likely that the evidence would finish on Monday and they should retire to consider their verdict on Tuesday.

Kewell, 26, wants substantial damages over a “hurtful and humiliating attack” which the Match Of The Day anchorman launched in a July 2003 Sunday Telegraph column.

He claims that Lineker, sports editor Jon Ryan and Telegraph Group Ltd had accused him of being a fool and implied he was a knave who was guilty of dishonourable conduct.

Kewell’s counsel, Andrew Monson, has said that the article claimed he circumvented transfer rules, had naively and stupidly allowed his personal manager, Bernie Mandic, to manipulate him to his financial detriment.

The claims are denied.