Four in court over attack on QPR director

Four men will appear in court today in connection with an attack on a football club director as his team prepared to play.

Armed police arrested 11 men near Queens Park Rangers’ ground in west London on Saturday after Gianni Paladini said he had been threatened by men with a gun as he made his way to a meeting before the team’s 2-1 win over Sheffield United.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said four men had been charged with conspiracy to commit blackmail and joint possession of a firearm with intent to commit grievous bodily harm. They will appear at West London Magistrates Court today.

The spokeswoman said the other seven men had been bailed to return on various dates pending further inquiries.

Armed officers were deployed within the Loftus Road ground following the incident on Saturday afternoon and Mr Paladini was taken to Hammersmith police station.

Mr Paladini, a former football agent who represented ex-Middlesbrough striker Fabrizio Ravanelli, bought his stake in the club last May and has become an influential figure there.

A significant proportion of the club is owned by a Monaco-based group of investors for whom Mr Paladini is the public face.

Little is known about the Italian, who handed in his football agent’s licence last year to pursue his dream of buying into an English football club.

He became an agent in 1980 and over two decades was involved in dozens of high profile transfers.

He lives in London with his English wife, Olga, and has a business portfolio which includes several nightclubs.