Brighton footballers sex assault trial starts at the Old Bailey

Three Brighton and Hove Albion footballers and a former team mate have gone on trial accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman.

George Barker, 21, Lewis Dunk, 21, and Anton Rodgers, 20, and their former team mate Steve Cook, 22, who has since joined Bournemouth, deny the charge.

They are being retried at the Central Criminal Court – better known as the Old Bailey – in London after the jury at their first trial earlier this year failed to reach a verdict.

Barker and Rodgers, both of Highview Avenue North, Brighton, and Cook, of Perth Road, St Leonard’s, also face a charge of voyeurism.

Dunk, of Woodbourne Avenue, Brighton, was cleared of the charge at the first trial which was also held at the Old Bailey.

This afternoon (Tuesday 7 May) the jury was sworn in. The 12 men and women have been sent home for the day and the trial resumes tomorrow (Wednesday 8 May).

The four are accused of sexually assaulting the woman, who is now 21, after celebrating their win in the Sussex Senior Cup final in July 2011.

The offences are alleged to have taken place at the Jury’s Inn hotel by Brighton Station.