Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp 'lost £250,000 aiding friend' (From Enfield Independent)

Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp 'lost £250,000 aiding friend'

1:58pm Friday 27th January 2012 in Top Stories By Court Reporter

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp lost £250,000 in a bid to save his friend's management job at Oxford United, a court has heard.

The former Portsmouth FC manager told police in 2009 that Jim Smith said a "mega-rich young boy" only had 48 hours to complete a deal for the club and could not raise the funds needed in time. So he asked Redknapp if he could lend him the money.

Redknapp initially told Jim Smith "What's it got to do with me?" but when Mr Smith replied "Harry, it would help as I'm the manager", Redknapp agreed to part with the cash, jurors heard.

In interviews played out at Southwark Crown Court, Redknapp told officers that the money disappeared during the bid "18 to 20 months ago".

Redknapp also told police "We are givers not takers" as he said "I don't need" to dodge a £30,000 tax bill."

He claimed he wrote the Monaco account at the heart of a £189,000 bung allegation "completely out of my life".

Redknapp told officers: "I have not purposely gone out to try to avoid paying income tax", Southwark Crown Court heard.

He added: "I would rather give you a hundred grand than nick a few quid off you. That's how I live. I have got a golf day tomorrow... I give £15,000 tomorrow to Leukaemia Busters."

Both Redknapp, 64, of Poole, Dorset, and Milan Mandaric, from Oadby, Leicestershire, deny two counts of cheating the public revenue when Redknapp was manager of Portsmouth Football Club. The trial continues.