Premiership: Paper blamed as Leeds case collapses

Leeds United's Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate are facing a retrial after the case against them collapsed.

Mr Justice Poole said an article in the Sunday Mirror has created such a serious risk of prejudice that it is impossible to go on with the trial.

The British Crown Prosecution Service has already decided that it will seek a retrial.

The article contains comments from the alleged victim's father Muhammad Najeib suggesting the attack had been racially motivated.

The judge said he was "deeply concerned" at the paper's two-page spread and halted the trial and discharged the jury at Hull Crown Court.

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

Nicholas Campbell QC, prosecuting, said a decision has already been made by the Crown to have the matter retried. He said tomorrow's hearing could look at possible timetables, dates and possible locations for any future trial.

Last Thursday the jury returned not guilty verdicts on a charge of conspiracy to pervert justice against another Leeds player, Michael Duberry, 25, and on Woodgate, Clifford and Caveney.

The jury in the £8m trial was considering charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and affray against Woodgate, 21, Bowyer, 24, Clifford and Caveney, both 21.

They had all pleaded not guilty during the 10-week trial.

The four were accused of beating and kicking 20-year-old student Sarfraz Najeib, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, in Leeds city centre in January last year.