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Brighton footballers cleared of sex assault Brighton footballers cleared of sex assault
(35 minutes later)
Four Brighton and Hove Albion footballers have been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. Four footballers have been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage woman in a Brighton hotel room.
Anton Rodgers, 20, George Barker, 21, Lewis Dunk, 21, and former team-mate Steve Cook, 22, denied assaulting the 19-year-old in July 2011. Brighton and Hove Albion players Anton Rodgers, 20, George Barker, 21, Lewis Dunk, 21, and former team-mate Steve Cook, 22, denied assault at a retrial.
Mr Rodgers, Mr Barker and Mr Cook also denied voyeurism. Mr Dunk was cleared of that charge at an earlier trial.Mr Rodgers, Mr Barker and Mr Cook also denied voyeurism. Mr Dunk was cleared of that charge at an earlier trial.
The Old Bailey was told photographs were taken of the unconscious woman in a hotel room in Brighton. The Old Bailey was told photographs were taken of the unconscious 19-year-old woman at the hotel in July 2011.
Mr Cook, who was on Brighton and Hove Albion's books at the time of the alleged assault, signed for Bournemouth last year.Mr Cook, who was on Brighton and Hove Albion's books at the time of the alleged assault, signed for Bournemouth last year.
Families in tears
The players' families, including Rodgers's father, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, watched the proceedings at court.
Their mothers and girlfriends were in tears in the public gallery as the verdicts were returned.
The footballers wept in a group hug outside the court as they were comforted by their families.
Brighton and Hove Albion said it was pleased to note the not guilty verdicts, which concluded a difficult period for all those concerned.
The prosecution said the players were celebrating victory in a local cup when they came across the drunken woman at a club.
She woke up at the Jury's Inn to find her strapless dress pulled down and said she saw explicit pictures on Rodgers's mobile phone.
Richard Barton, prosecuting, said these were taken as a "permanent record of their conquest".
A photograph found on Barker's phone showed the sleeping woman with shaving foam spelling out GB on her thigh.
Barker was next to her doing a thumbs-up sign and smiling.
Another player, Leon Redwood, said he went into the room at night and sprayed the foam.
Barker and Rodgers said the woman had joined in the "boy's banter", climbed into bed with them and started kissing them.
Dunk and Cook said they were sleeping on the floor and did not get involved.
The woman was said to have "told a pack of lies" following the incident and agreed she lied to police and her employers but said she had been humiliated by the footballers.
Jurors at an earlier trial in February could not agree verdicts but found Dunk not guilty of voyeurism.