April 6, 2001

April 6, 2001 (Friday) from ananova.com

Leeds stars cleared of conspiracy charges

Leeds United stars Michael Duberry and Jonathan Woodgate have been cleared of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by a jury at Hull Crown Court.

Woodgate's friends Paul Clifford and Neale Caveney were also cleared of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

The jury was then sent home to resume deliberations on the other charges tomorrow.

Woodgate, 21, and team mate Lee Bowyer, 24, Clifford, 21, and Caveney, 21, deny causing grievous bodily harm to 20-year-old student Sarfraz Najeib in a street attack in Leeds in January last year.

They also plead not guilty to affray.

Bowyer was not charged with conspiracy to pervert the course.

The verdict against Duberry, 25, means he faces no further charges in the this trial.

The verdicts were given after a second day of deliberating.

The £5million former Chelsea defender Duberry stood impassively and bowed his head as the verdict on his charge was returned.

As his barrister Claire Montgomery made a successful application for defence costs, he rubbed his face vigorously with his hands as if exhausted by the proceedings.

As the defendants left the dock, Duberry's team mate Woodgate paused and gave Duberry a warm embrace.

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