Leeds star takes stand to deny attacking Asian student
By AsianWeek staff and wire reports
Reserve striker Tony Hackworth, one of four Leeds United soccer players accused of attacking an Asian student, walked free from court on March 7 after being cleared by the judge. One day later, Leeds star Jonathan Woodgate took the stand to deny taking part in an attack on Sarfraz Najeib outside a nightclub.
On March 7, trial judge Sir David Poole directed the jury to find Hackworth, 20, innocent of causing grievous harm to Najeib, who was beaten unconscious and suffered multiple facial and leg injuries in downtown Leeds, England in January last year. Hackworth was also cleared of assault.
Two other Leeds players, defender Woodgate and midfielder Lee Bowyer, and two other men — Neale Caveney and Paul Clifford — face the same charges. Central defender Michael Duberry is accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice by allegedly driving them away from the scene. All deny the charges.
The prosecution, which has concluded its evidence, alleges that Woodgate and Bowyer were among a group of men who attacked Najeib outside a nightclub. Woodgate is accused of jumping on top of Najeib while he was lying on the ground unconscious.
The case against Hackworth relied on evidence from a paramedic attending another incident nearby. The man told police he was not 100 percent sure the person he saw was the Leeds striker.
“I have therefore decided that the purported identification is not satisfactory,” the judge said. “It’s therefore my duty to direct you to acquit him.”
After leaving the courtroom, Hackworth said through his lawyer that he was glad the “nightmare” of the last 12 months was over.
“Let’s make it quite clear, he has been acquitted on the direction of the judge today,” lawyer John Perry told reporters. “He has been awarded his costs and he is now free to pursue his career as a young sportsman.
“His nightmare began 12 months ago when he was required to attend the offices of the club’s solicitors in Leeds. Over the past 12 months he has shouldered this burden with great poise and dignity,” Perry said.
On March 8, Woodgate, testifying at Hull Crown Court, said he had witnessed people fighting near the spot where Najeib was beaten. But the England international defender said he was not involved.
Woodgate testified he ran after his friends and a group of Asians after trouble started outside the nightclub. He said he fell and injured his ankle.
“I was at the back,” he said. “I had run after the group. I was just being nosey. I didn’t know what was going on. All I remember is Lee Bowyer running past me, then I fell over on my ankle.”
“I hobbled down there to see what was going on,” Woodgate told the jury. “I could see a lot of people down there throwing punches and throwing kicks.”
“Did you get involved?” asked his lawyer, David Sumner.
Woodgate replied: “No.”
He said none of his friends were involved, but admitted that he did not know who was fighting.
“I was holding my ankle,” Woodgate said. “I couldn’t make out what was going on and who was doing what.”
Woodgate said he had drunk seven or eight pints of a cocktail mixture in pubs before going to the Majestyk nightclub. He said one of his friends, Jamie Hewison, was thrown out of the club and that a confrontation with some Asian men ensued.
“I got hold of [Hewison] and tried to pull him away and he said get off,” Woodgate said.
He said he saw a punch or a push out of the corner of his eye.
“I am not sure who threw it. Then, I remember everyone running,” he said. “The group ran.”
Later, Woodgate said he hobbled back down the street and met Duberry, who drove the men to his house. Woodgate admitted he had lied to police over the reason for going to Duberry’s. He had told officers they had gone there to play computer games.
Asked why he had lied, Woodgate said: “Because I didn’t tell the police about any of my friends.” |
