Soccer: Footballer case jury set to retire

The jury in the Leeds United soccer trial will be sent out to consider its verdicts.

Mr Justice Poole has told the seven men and four women that he had almost completed his summing-up.

The judge went through the allegations against Jonathan Woodgate, Lee Bowyer, Michael Duberry and two of Woodgate's friends Paul Clifford and Neale Caveney.

He also outlined the defence cases that their clients were not involved in any of the offences put forward by the prosecution.

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

The court has been told that Woodgate, Bowyer, Caveney and Clifford chased a group of Asians following a confrontation outside the Majestyk nightclub in Leeds city centre in January last year.

It has been alleged that they caught up with 20-year-old student Sarfraz Najeib in Mill Hill, where they kicked and punched him senseless. Mr Najeib, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, suffered serious injuries in the attack including a broken nose and fractured leg.

The prosecution has alleged that after the attack, Woodgate returned to the unconscious Mr Najeib and launched a two-footed assault on him. The Crown also claim Clifford bit Mr Najeib on the right cheek.

The jury has been told that Woodgate, Clifford and Caveney, along with two other men, returned to Duberry's house on the outskirts of Leeds. The prosecution claim that Duberry supplied Clifford and another man with a change of clothing to hide incriminating evidence.

Bowyer, 24, of Leeds, Woodgate, Clifford and Caveney, all 21 and from Middlesbrough, deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Najeib. They also deny affray. Duberry, 25, Woodgate, Clifford and Caveney all deny conspiracy to pervert the course of justice following the attack.