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July 20, 2002
(Saturday) from Jonathan Woodgate Club
Woodgate and Bowyer to face civil court action
Leeds United footballer Jonathan Woodgate is to be prosecuted in the civil court
along with his team-mate Lee Bowyer, it has emerged. The disgraced star faces
action for damages over his involvement in a vicious attack on Asian brothers
Sarfraz and Shahzad Najeib outside a Leeds nightclub in January 2000.
News of the proposed action against him comes the day after Bowyer was served
with legal papers over the events of that night.
Bowyer and Woodgate, along with others, twice faced lengthy criminal proceedings
in relation to an attack on the Najeib brothers, which left Sarfraz with a
catalogue of appalling injuries.
Woodgate was found guilty of affray at the end of a re-trial. Bowyer was
acquitted on charges of grievous bodily harm and affray.
Asked if there were any plans to take civil action against Woodgate, Najeib's
solicitor, Imran Khan said: "I can confirm he will be prosecuted in the civil
courts. We said at the time of the trial that the family were considering taking
action against those who, in their eyes carried out the attack."
"We are taking advice in relation to each individual but I can say that Woodgate
definitely would be somebody that we would prosecute. We are not running on a
timetable as far as he is concerned."
Bowyer, who is in talks over a proposed £9 million transfer from Leeds to
Liverpool, faces a lawsuit in excess of £100,000. The writ claims Bowyer was
responsible for attacking the student as he lay on the ground.
A list of injuries to Sarfraz, including multiple facial fractures, a broken leg
and a bite to his left cheek, are cited in the claim lodged with the Queen's
Bench Division of the High Court of Justice.
Bowyer's solicitor, Qaiser Khanzada, was unavailable for comment but he told the
Mirror: "We have received the claim and will be filing a defence in the proper
manner.
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