Premiership: Jury to retire in footballers' trial

The jury in the trial of two Leeds United footballers accused of taking part in a savage street attack on an Asian student was today due to retire to consider its verdicts.

England international defender Jonathan Woodgate, England U-21 international midfielder Lee Bowyer, and Paul Clifford and Neale Caveney, deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Sarfraz Najeib. The four defendants also deny affray.

Mr Najeib, 21, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, suffered serious injuries including a broken leg and a bite mark to his right cheek in an attack in Mill Hill, Leeds, in January last year.

The prosecution at Hull Crown Court has claimed that Woodgate, 21, of Middlesbrough, Bowyer, 24, of Leeds, and Clifford and Caveney, both 22 and from Middlesbrough, all took part in the attack on Leeds Metropolitan University student Mr Najeib.

All four defendants deny any involvement. Woodgate, Caveney and Clifford claim they watched an incident taking place from the corner of Mill Hill.

Bowyer has told the jury that he was assaulted as he jogged along Boar Lane, was left dazed and never went into Mill Hill.