Brendan Rodgers relief as son cleared in sex case

LIVERPOOL Football Club manager Brendan Rodgers has spoken of his relief after his son was cleared in a sex case involving a teenage girl.

Anton Rodgers, 20, and three Brighton and Hove Albion team-mates were found not guilty of sexual assault and voyeurism.

The retrial at the Old Bailey followed an earlier trial in which a jury could not agree verdicts.

Mr Rodgers said: “The last 18 months have been extremely traumatic for us as a family, but we are relieved that Anton’s name has been cleared. I am also pleased for the other defendants and their families, that they can now get on with living their lives without these hurtful allegations hanging over them.”

He thanked his club and their fans for their support “through this distressing process”.

Mr Rodgers and his wife had sat through the two trials with the other defendants’ families.

Rodgers, Lewis Dunk, 21, George Barker, 21, and Steve Cook, 22, who now plays for Bournemouth, had maintained their innocence.

They broke down and were visibly shaken, as they were consoled by their girlfriends and their families outside court.

Rodgers’ solicitor, Mark Haslam, said it was a relief the long ordeal was finally over.