Redknapp accused over commissions

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has appeared in court to answer tax evasion charges, and is being accused of receiving almost £600,000 in commission payments to an off-shore bank account.

The claims relate to the Spurs coach’s time in charge at West Ham and Portsmouth, were he supposedly hid large handouts following the sales of Rio Ferdinand and Peter Crouch in order to avoid having to pay tax.

The jury at Southwark Crown Court listened as the supposed offences were brought against Redknapp, with money concealed in a Monaco based bank account named ‘Rosie 47′, after his dog and the year he was born.

A four-year police investigation have revealed that Redknapp was allegedly given around £187,000 by the then-Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric, after the sale of Crouch.

Redknapp was also apparently given a £300,000 commission payment from West Ham after selling Ferdinand to Leeds, and the prosecutor revealed the trainer’s supposed attempt to conceal money from the authorities.

“The Crown say that Mr Redknapp did not wait long before taking steps to receive what he saw as his due by way of off-record payment from the chairman’s personal account,” the court heard according to The Telegraph.

“What seems clear was that Mr Redknapp, in addition to being paid by the club, other sums payable under transfer business would be paid to him off-record from Mr Mandaric’s private account, and any such sums would be hidden from the UK tax authorities.”

The off-shore account was closed back in 2008, with the balance of £133,000 transferred to Redknapp’s account in the UK.

By Gareth McKnight