Redknapp in outburst at cop as drama hits tax trial
TOTTENHAM manager Harry Redknapp shouted across the courtroom at a detective to “stop staring” and accused the policeman of trying to unsettle him as his tax evasion trial took a dramatic turn yesterday.
Redknapp (inset) raised his voice towards Detective Inspector David Manley, who led Canada Police investigation, amid a series of spiky exchanges under cross-examination from the prosecution.
“Please stop staring at me, officer,” the 64-year-old, who is favourite to be next England manager, interrupted his testimony to tell Manley at Southwark Crown Court. “I know you’re trying to cause me a problem.”
The flashpoint came as Redknapp took the stand for the first time in his high-profile trial, which is set to run into a third week.
He and co-accused Milan Mandaric, the former Portsmouth chairman, deny two charges of cheating the public revenue regarding payments totalling £189,400 made into a Monaco account named after Redknapp’s dog Rosie.
Redknapp also clashed with prosecuting barrister John Black QC as he questioned the man credited with Tottenham’s recent revival over the sums, which are alleged to have been paid between 2002 and 2007.
“You are not too sure where you are going,” Redknapp told Black, denying that the payments were secret “bungs” designed to bypass income tax and National Insurance.
He added: “Do you think I’m silly enough that I wouldn’t go along and close the account if I had anything to worry about?”
Redknapp, who is accused of keeping the Rosie 47 account hidden from HM Revenue and Customs for six years, said it only came to light because he volunteered the information to the Stevens Inquiry into football corruption.
“Why do I go along and tell [Stevens Inquiry investigators] Quest? If I don’t mention it it’s history. Nobody knows about it,” he told the court.
Redknapp also rejected Black’s description of him as a “hard-headed businessman with financial acumen”, saying: “I’m a fantastic football manager. I have no business sense whatsoever unfortunately.”
The trial continues.