Premiership: Woodgate 'was peacemaker', trial told
Footballer Jonathan Woodgate acted as a peacemaker in a nightclub disturbance shortly before he was allegedly involved in a violent attack on an Asian student, a court heard.
Hull Crown Court was told that a group of men, including Leeds United stars Woodgate, Lee Bowyer, Michael Duberry and Michael Bridges, were in the VIP area of The Majestyk nightclub in Leeds in January last year.
The jury heard that a group of students was threatened by a man who was in the club with the footballers.
David Sheridan, who was one of the students, told the jury: "I had the impression he was coming over looking for trouble."
Mr Sheridan said Woodgate subsequently came across and assured the students "there was no problem".
Cross-examined by barrister David Sumner, for Woodgate, Mr Sheridan agreed that the Leeds defender acted as a peacemaker.
He added: "We left because it was an uncomfortable atmosphere."
Woodgate, 21, of Middlesbrough; Bowyer 24, an England Under-21 international, of Leeds; Tony Hackworth, 20, a reserve team striker, of Leeds; and Neale Caveney and Paul Clifford, both 21, of Middlesbrough, deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Najeib of Rotherham, South Yorkshire. They also deny affray.
Woodgate, Caveney and Clifford, with Leeds United player Michael Duberry, 24, also plead not guilty to conspiring to pervert the course of justice after the attack in January last year.
The jury has been told that Mr Najeib, 20, was kicked and beaten senseless in a street attack in Mill Hill, Leeds, on January 11 last year.
