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Harry Redknapp 'controlled Monaco bank account' Harry Redknapp: 'I write like a two-year-old'
(about 1 hour later)
Harry Redknapp had sole responsibility for the Monaco bank account in the name of his dog into which money was paid by Milan Mandaric, a court has heard. Harry Redknapp told police during interviews he "writes like a two-year-old", a court has heard.
The only signature on records belonged to the Tottenham boss, jurors heard. Tottenham boss Mr Redknapp and Milan Mandaric both deny charges of cheating the public revenue during their time together at Portsmouth.
David Cusdin, vice-president of HSBC in Monaco between 2000 and 2005, said he was aware Mr Redknapp had visited the bank to open the account. But Mr Redknapp told officers: "I am not going to fiddle taxes, I pay my accountant a fortune to look after me.
Mr Redknapp and Mr Mandaric both deny charges of cheating the public revenue during their time at Portsmouth. "I am completely and utterly disorganised. I write like a two-year-old and I can't spell."
The prosecution alleges Mr Mandaric made payments totalling $295,000 (about £189,000) into the account when he was Portsmouth chairman and Mr Redknapp was manager of the south coast side. Jurors have also heard the football boss had made "disastrous" business decisions, including losing £250,000 in a "very unsuccessful" takeover bid at Oxford United.
The court heard the account was called "Rosie 47" - a combination of the name of Mr Redknapp's dog and his year of birth. Earlier the court heard Mr Redknapp had sole responsibility for a Monaco bank account in the name of his dog.
Giving evidence via videolink at Southwark Crown Court, Mr Cusdin said he was aware that Redknapp had flown to the principality to open an account in 2002. The prosecution alleges Mr Mandaric made untaxed payments totalling $295,000 (about £189,000) into the Monaco account when he was chairman and Mr Redknapp was manager of the south coast side.
'Perfect gentleman' In the recorded interviews played to the court, Mr Redknapp said: "I have never written a letter in my life."
"I was certainly aware of his visit - it was quite possible that I didn't open the account, it was one of my team - but I was certainly aware of the visit," Mr Cusdin told the court. He said his accountant "runs my life" and was so disorganised he had not realised that he had not been paid for 18 months for his column in The Sun newspaper, it was heard.
"I don't have a recollection - but I could well have shaken his hand at the meeting." He also told officers of a feud with Mr Mandaric over a bonus he was due for the sale of Peter Crouch from Portsmouth to Aston Villa.
Mr Cusdin said the client would have to be present to open an account. Mr Redknapp added: "I was getting bigger than him [Mr Mandaric] at the football club and he didn't like it really."
He said Mr Mandaric was also an account holder and he had met him on several occasions. 'He's useless'
The ex-bank chief said he had known Mr Mandaric since the football chairman had sold club Nice in France. He said his co-defendant had not wanted him to sign Crouch in the first place.
He added that "Mr Mandaric, is a perfect gentleman... he would always ring prior to the visit". "Mandaric told me 'He's useless. I think you are going to have to pay me 10%'," Mr Redknapp told police.
Jurors were shown details of a fax request ending with "Many thanks for your cooperation, Harry Redknapp" instructing $100,000 be transferred to First Star International in Florida. When England striker Crouch was sold on for a £3m profit, Mr Redknapp said he was due 10%.
The prosecution has previously told the court that this company was part-owned by Mr Mandaric. The court has already heard his cut of transfer profits was reduced to 5% when he took on the managerial role at the club.
Under cross-examination, Mr Cusdin said the "Rosie 47" account eventually became classed as dormant, triggering a quarterly fee on the account. Mr Redknapp said he then told Mr Mandaric: "I don't want to end up with a tax bill."
He said this measure was activated when a client had not made contact for a minimum of two years. The defendant said he had been told by Mr Mandaric there was no tax "on so many occasions".
Assets and liabilities During the interviews, Mr Redknapp also spoke about leaving Portsmouth in 2004.
Jurors later heard from Alan Hills, Mr Redknapp's banking relationship manager at HSBC in London. He said the team were 2-0 down to Aston Villa at half-time and Mr Mandaric tore his ticket "into 50 pieces".
Mr Hills told the court the football manager did not tell him about the Monaco account until 2008. The next day Mr Redknapp wanted to leave, the court heard.
He said he would have expected to have been told about the account much earlier. He was offered about £200,000 as a settlement but asked for the money to go to youth football projects in Portsmouth, the jury heard.
Mr Hills said at one stage he had requested details of Mr Redknapp's assets and liabilities but the "Rosie 47" account was not mentioned, jurors heard. Earlier, the court was told Mr Rednapp's signature was the only one on records for the Monaco bank account named "Rosie 47" after his dog and year of birth.
Mr Redknapp, 64, who lives in Poole, Dorset, and Mr Mandaric, 73, of Oadby, Leicestershire, each deny two charges of cheating the public revenue.Mr Redknapp, 64, who lives in Poole, Dorset, and Mr Mandaric, 73, of Oadby, Leicestershire, each deny two charges of cheating the public revenue.
The first of the two charges alleges that, between 1 April 2002 and 28 November 2007, Mr Mandaric paid $145,000 (£93,100) into a bank account held by Mr Redknapp in Monaco, to avoid paying income tax and National Insurance.The first of the two charges alleges that, between 1 April 2002 and 28 November 2007, Mr Mandaric paid $145,000 (£93,100) into a bank account held by Mr Redknapp in Monaco, to avoid paying income tax and National Insurance.
The second charge for the same offence relates to a sum of $150,000 (£96,300) allegedly paid by Mr Mandaric to the same account between 1 May 2004 and 28 November 2007.The second charge for the same offence relates to a sum of $150,000 (£96,300) allegedly paid by Mr Mandaric to the same account between 1 May 2004 and 28 November 2007.
The trial continues.The trial continues.