Harry Redknapp tax evasion trial: Manager feigned ignorance of Monaco bank account

Published: 24 Jan 2012 - 11:29:33

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Harry Redknapp tax evasion trial: Manager feigned ignorance of Monaco bank account

Football boss Harry Redknapp failed to declare his offshore bank account for six years after'feigning' ignorance during a high profile inquiry into football bungs,a court heard on Tuesday. He previously only mentioned the Monaco account as he was quizzed during the Premier League-led investigation, jurors were told. John Black QC, prosecuting, said Redknapp 'was feigning almost complete ignorance of its existence' as the Quest inquiry under former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Stevens took place in 2006. Day two: Harry Redknapp was followed into court by son Jamie Back: Milan Mandaric arrives at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday Mr Black asked jurors to consider whether 'is it the case that Mr Redknapp could be unaware of the bank account' when he had flown out to Monaco just a couple of years earlier to set it up in the name of his dog, Rosie. Despite two separate inquiries into his finances - the first launched in the wake of his receipt of a ?300,000 'gift' after Rio Ferdinand signed for Leeds United from West Ham - Redknapp only registered the account to tax inspectors after his arrest in 2008. Mr Black told Southwark Crown Court: 'The existence of the bank account was not registered to Revenue and Customs for a period of six years, two months... after Mr Redknapp was first arrested and questioned in the course of this investigation.' Court: Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp - who was wearing glasses - appears in the dock accused of tax evasion Facing court: Harry Redknapp, right, enters Southwark Crown Court. His son Jamie, left, who is a pundit and former footballer was in the public gallery to support him Tax inspectors were informed of the bank account 'only within the context to declare a small amount of credit interest' in 2008, Mr Black said. Mr Black showed the jury of eight menand four women newspaper cuttings from 2003, which detailed Redknapp had received a ?300,000 gift for the ?18million transfer of Ferdinand toLeeds United.Redknapp - who had managed West Ham before joining Portsmouth - was saidto have described the cash he received as a "personal present". Mr Black said the fact Redknapp paid tax on the gift was proof he knew future payments would be tax liable. The Tottenham Hotspur manager is accused of banking transfer bonuses worth ?189,000 during his time managing Portsmouth. Man's best friend: Redknapp with his pet bull dogs Rosie, left, who the account was named after, and Buster One of the payments was said to have been sparked by the ?3 million profit the South Coast club made on the sale of England star Peter Crouch. Redknapp was accused of being a 'hard-headed businessman' who, alongside co-defendant Milan Mandaric, obscured the money trail for years. Redknapp first flew out to Monaco - a tax haven - in April 2002 to set up the account, the Crown claims. He named the HSBC account Rosie 47 - a reference to his dog's name and the year of his birth.Mr Black said 'both parties must have known' they were avoiding taxes. 'These payments were a bung or offshore bonus that the parties had absolutely no intention of paying taxes for,' he said. Enlarge Plush: Harry Redknapp's ?10million home in Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset Redknapp and Mandaric deny two counts of cheating the public revenue when he was manager of Portsmouth Football Club. The first charge of cheating the public revenue alleges that between April 1 2002 and November 28 2007 Mandaric paid 145,000 US dollars (?93,100) into the account. The second charge for the same offence relates to a sum of 150,000 US dollars (?96,300) allegedly paid between May 1 2004 and November 28 2007. Redknapp, 64, who underwent minor heart surgery last year to unblock his arteries, is the most successful English manager in the modern game, having led Portsmouth to FA Cup success and Spurs to last season's Uefa Champions League quarter-finals. Serbian Mandaric, 73, is now chairman of Sheffield Wednesday, having previously worked at Leicester City. The trial continues. Claims: Redknapp and Mandaric were both at Portsmouth Football Club in the period to which the charges relate. The club play at Fratton Park Co-accused: Milan Mandaric, left, with Harry Redknapp in 2005 when the pair were at Portsmouth Harry's secret bungs: Spurs boss 'paid no tax on two huge payments salted away in offshore account named after DOG Rosie'Redknapp's transfer from the dugout to the dock in under 24 hours as trial begins Share this article: FacebookTwitterGoogle+MessengerLinkedInDigg itNewsvineFarkNowpublicRedditPrint articleEmail article Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. 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