Leeds United's Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate are facing a retrial after the case against them collapsed this afternoon due to an article in a Sunday newspaper.
Mr Justice Poole says an article in the Sunday Mirrorhad created such a serious risk of prejudice that it is impossible to go on with the trial.
"I am concerned that for 10 weeks and many months before that all interested parties have been striving for justice for the victim, the victim's family and the defendants who have an entitlement to a fair trial.
"This jury has applied itself, countless witnesses have attended to their considerable inconvenience. The result is that, for now, all that is de-railed," he said.
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Lee Bowyer
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The judge added he was "deeply concerned" at the paper's two-page spread and halted the trial and discharged the jury at Hull Crown Court.
Mr Nicholas Campbell QC, prosecuting, said a decision has already been made by the Crown to have the matter retried. He says tomorrow's hearing could look at possible timetables, dates and possible locations for any future trial.
The article contains comments from the alleged victim's father Muhammad Najeib suggesting the attack had been racially motivated.
Last Thursday the jury returned not guilty verdicts on a charge of conspiracy to pervert justice against another Leeds player, Michael Duberry, 25, and on Woodgate, Clifford and Caveney.
The jury in the £8 million trial was considering charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and affray against Woodgate, 21, Bowyer, 24, Clifford and Caveney, both 21. They had all pleaded not guilty during the 10-week trial.
The four were accused of beating and kicking 20-year-old student Sarfraz Najeib, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, in Leeds city centre in January last year.
PA