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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Brighton footballers cleared of sex assault | Brighton footballers cleared of sex assault |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Four footballers have been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage woman in a Brighton hotel room. | Four footballers have been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage woman in a Brighton hotel room. |
| 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. | 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 were also cleared of voyeurism. Mr Dunk was cleared at an earlier trial. | |
| The Old Bailey was told photographs were taken of the unconscious 19-year-old woman at the hotel in July 2011. | 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 | Families in tears |
| The players' families, including Rodgers's father, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, watched the proceedings at court. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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". | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | Jurors at an earlier trial in February could not agree verdicts but found Dunk not guilty of voyeurism. |