Footballers to face retrial

The footballers Bruce Grobbelaar, John Fashanu and Hans Segers are to be re-tried on charges that they corruptly conspired to fix Premier League football matches for a Far Eastern syndicate, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed yesterday.

On Tuesday a jury at Winchester Crown Court failed to reach a verdict on any of the charges against the trio and the fourth defendant, Heng Suan Lim, a Malaysian businessman, after nearly 11 hours of deliberation.

The Crown Prosecution Service, which had announced its intention to seek a re-trial immediately after the first jury was discharged, said the decision had been taken in consultation with law officers. Sir Nicholas Lyell, the Attorney-General, was among those consulted over whether a further trial was in the public interest.

A date has still to be set for the new trial, which will be on the same charges as the four faced in the seven-week case at Winchester. The first, against Mr Lim, Mr Fashanu, 34, the former Aston Villa and Wimbledon striker, and the ex-Wimbledon goalkeeper Mr Segers, 35, alleges that between 1 February 1991 and 9 November 1994, they conspired to give and corruptly accept gifts of money to influence or attempt to influence the outcome of football matches.

A second count, against Mr Lim, Mr Fashanu and Mr Grobbelaar, the ex- Liverpool and Southampton goalkeeper, alleges a conspiracy in similar terms between 1 November 1992 and 9 November 1994.

Mr Grobbelaar faces a separate charge that he corruptly accepted pounds 2,000 from Christopher Vincent for improperly influencing or attempting to influence the outcome of a football match or matches.

All the defendants maintain their innocence.

Mr Grobbelaar's solicitor, David Hewitt, said: "We are extremely disappointed by the decision ... to pursue this case after a trial lasting seven weeks failed to produce a single verdict ... We cannot believe that it is in the public interest to continue."