'Bungs made to look like loans', court hears

Milan Mandaric tried to fool police into believing bungs sent to Harry Redknapp were a tax-free loan, a court heard today.

The former Portsmouth chairman asked Redknapp to repay about £100,000 in 2009 - weeks after giving no comment during questioning by detectives.

The “transparent device” by Mandaric came after the Tottenham manager told officers “I don’t fiddle”, the Crown alleges.

Mandaric told City of London Police he “didn’t want to be a loser in Harry’s eyes in the investment world”, a jury at Southwark Crown Court heard.

John Black QC, for the prosecution, said Mandaric’s lawyer sent a letter to Redknapp’s solicitors a month after the chairman had given no comment to officers on June 8 2009.

The letter said: “Mr Mandaric requests that 145,000 US dollars is repaid by Harry as soon as he is able to arrange it, to Mr Mandaric’s following account.”

Black added: “The Crown suggest this could be a transparent device by Mr Mandaric to attempt to create an impression that the money paid by Mr Mandaric into the Rosie 47 account had only ever been advanced by way of a loan.”

Mandaric and Redknapp deny two counts of cheating the public revenue.