Leeds star found guilty

Published December 15, 2001

HULL (England), Dec 14: Leeds United footballer Jonathan Woodgate was found guilty of affray on Friday but not guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent after a student was battered unconscious in January 2000.

Team mate Lee Bowyer, 24, walked free from court after being found not guilty of both grievous bodily harm with intent and affray.

Woodgate, 21, could face jail when the judge sentences him, expected later on Friday.

Woodgate’s friend Paul Clifford was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and affray.

Another friend, Neale Caveney, was found guilty of affray but cleared of causing grievous bodily harm after the jury had deliberated for five days.

The four denied all the charges.

Sarfraz Najeib, then 19, suffered a broken leg and a fractured cheek and nose after a gang of men attacked him in Leeds city centre.

A first trial of the men on the same charges was stopped in April after an interview in a Sunday newspaper. The second trial started on October 15.

Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale indicated before the first trial that any player found to have taken part in the attack would be sacked by the premier league club.—Reuters

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