Redknapp 'received offshore bungs'
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has gone on trial accused of receiving offshore bungs from his former employer.
The 64-year-old - tipped as a future England boss - dodged taxes on "substantial payments" while he was in charge at Portsmouth, a jury heard.
Appearing in the dock, Redknapp stood accused of receiving two untaxed payments of more than £189,000 from former chairman Milan Mandaric, his co-accused.
John Black QC opened the Crown's case at Southwark Crown Court by telling jurors "both parties must have known" they were avoiding taxes.
"These payments were a bung or offshore bonus that the parties had absolutely no intention of paying taxes for," he said.
Redknapp, appearing behind bullet-proof glass alongside Serbian Mandaric, read notes as Mr Black outlined how the manager received player transfer bonuses under a clause in his contract. Mr Black focused on the purchase of Peter Crouch for £1,250,000 before he was sold for £4.5 million.
The 64-year-old and Mandaric, 73, deny two counts of cheating the public revenue when he was manager of Portsmouth.
The first charge alleges that between April 1 2002 and November 28 2007 Mandaric paid 145,000 US dollars (£93,100) into a bank account held by 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 US dollars (£96,300) allegedly paid by Mandaric to the same account between May 1 2004 and November 28 2007.
Redknapp, of Panorama Drive, Poole, Dorset, is represented by John Kelsey-Fry QC, while Lord Macdonald QC is counsel for Sheffield Wednesday chairman Mandaric, of Stretton Hall, Oadby, Leicestershire.
