Liverpool boss Rodgers back in court to support son over sexual assault claims

A jury was sworn in today in the case of four footballers, including Brendan Rodgers' son Anton, accused of sexually assaulting a teenager in a Brighton hotel. A previous jury was discharged in February after failing to reach verdicts on all but one count where they cleared Lewis Dunk of voyeurism.

The new jury was sent away until tomorrow when the case will be opened at the Old Bailey.

Paternal support: Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers accompanied his 20-year-old son Anton to court

Judge Christopher Moss told the panel that they should try the defendants on evidence given in court and put anything they may have heard about the first trial out of their minds.

Brighton and Hove Albion players Anton Rodgers, 20, Lewis Dunk, 21, and George Barker, 21, and former team-mate Steve Cook, 22, who now plays for Bournemouth, had denied sexual assault and voyeurism.

They were alleged to have assaulted a 19-year-old woman in a hotel room in July 2011 after celebrating a match win.

Promotion chasing? But the main priority of Brighton's Lewis Dunk's main priority could perhaps be this court case

Low key? George Barker of Brighton arrives at the Old Bailey in central London

Sheepish? Steve Cook has since left Brighton for Bournemouth

Added pressure: Liverpool boss Rodgers will not be grateful his son is attracting the wrong type of attention

                             

The woman claimed she fell asleep following a drunken night out clubbing and saw photographs of the incident on Rodgers' mobile phone in the morning. The players told the court there was nothing sexual in what went on and the woman was awake during most of the 'boy banter'.

Rodgers' father, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, sat in the public gallery among eight members of the players' families.