November 13

November 13, 2001 (Tuesday) from Sportinglife.com

Star's Interview Played To Trial Jury

The jury in the Leeds United footballers trial has heard England defender Jonathan Woodgate deny to police that he took part in an attack on a young Asian student.

Woodgate told detectives he was "just being nosy'' when he ran after his team-mate Lee Bowyer from a nightclub towards the spot where 21-year-old Sarfraz Najeib was later found beaten senseless.

A tape made by police as they interviewed Woodgate over the attack in Leeds city centre in January last year was played to the jury at the retrial of the two soccer stars at Hull Crown Court.

In the interview - six days after the attack - Woodgate, 21, is heard telling police how he came out of the Majestyk nightclub in Leeds with friends and Bowyer, 24, who is also accused of attacking Mr Najeib in nearby Mill Hill.

Woodgate said he had seen "something going on with some Asian lads'' outside the club but did not know what it was.

He said Bowyer had run off and he had followed him "to see what was happening''.

He said as he got to the corner of Mill Hill he could see someone lying on the ground - but denied taking part in any attack.

Woodgate said he was not watching what was happening because he was more worried about his ankle, which he had injured after falling over.

"I saw Lee run and I followed,'' Woodgate told Detective Constable Christopher Windle.

"I was just being nosy more than anything. I was so far behind I couldn't really see anything.

"I went to the corner and there was someone on the floor. I couldn't tell who it was at that time of night.''

Woodgate admitted seeing "a little fracas'' involving his friends outside the nightclub but did not know whether the Asians had run off first.

"I have no idea,'' he said. "I saw Lee run and I ran after him.''

Woodgate was asked if he had jumped on the man lying on the ground.

He replied: "No, because I wasn't there. I was on the other side - round the corner.

"I didn't see anything happen - I didn't see anything like that.''

Woodgate, of Middlesbrough, Bowyer, of Leeds, and Paul Clifford and Neale Caveney, both 22 and from Middlesbrough, deny causing Mr Najeib grievous bodily harm with intent. They also deny affray.

Mr Windle told the jury that Woodgate had refused to name the friends he was out with for the evening, although he said some of them were longstanding and he had gone to school with them.

They had been in a number of Leeds pubs where he had "five or six drinks''.

Mr Windle said Woodgate had initially forgotten about visiting the DV8 lap-dancing club during the evening - but later remembered because he had been "stuffing his face with sausage rolls''.

Earlier the jury heard that both Woodgate and Bowyer had refused to take part in identity parades because they felt they would be unfair.

Solicitors for both players had argued that witnesses would be able to pick them out because they had seen their photographs in newspapers and on television following their arrests.

But the jury was told that a witness to the attack, a 21-year-old barman, had picked out both men when shown videos compiled by police showing each of them together with film of eight volunteers.

Mr Windle said that when he charged Woodgate on March 14 the footballer replied: "Not guilty - been mistaken for another man or person.''

The trial was adjourned until Wednesday.

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