Leeds footballers 'refused to join identity parades'

Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer refused to take part in identity parades after an Asian student was assaulted, the Leeds United footballers' trial has heard.

Woodgate told police he would be identified because his photograph had appeared in newspapers and on television following the attack on 20-year-old Sarfraz Najeib in Leeds city centre.

At the Hull Crown Court trial, the pair have denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Najeib of Rotherham, South Yorkshire. They also deny affray.

The court was told that a police identification officer, Acting Inspector Norman Knubley, said Woodgate had originally said he would be happy to take part in an identification parade.

However, at a meeting at the Elland Road football ground two weeks after the attack Woodgate indicated through his solicitor he was not going to take part.

The player told police in a statement that when he first agreed to take part he had been told that a witness who allegedly saw him leaving the scene of the attack had not referred to him by name or as being a Leeds United player.

He said:"Following the extensive national media coverage in which my photograph has appeared in every national newspaper and on TV news bulletins, I do not feel I can now take part as clearly any witness would have no problem in identifying myself ".

An identification would confirm his identity as a football player "rather than an offender responsible for this attack", Woodgate had said.

Woodgate, 21, of Middlesbrough, Bowyer 24, an England Under-21 international, of Leeds, Tony Hackworth, 20, a reserve team striker of Leeds and Neale Caveney and Paul Clifford, both 21, of Middlesbrough, deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Najeib of Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

They also deny affray.

Woodgate, Caveney and Clifford, with Leeds United player Michael Duberry, 24, also plead not guilty to conspiring to pervert the course of justice after the attack in January last year.