What should we make about the arrest of Harry Redknapp.

Obviously its difficult to comment on the events surrounding Harry Redknapp of the last few days, indeed even the statements that Redknapp himself made after being released seemed to contradict the facts.

When Harry left the Police station on Wednesday he claimed that this was nothing to do with him and this would be the end of the matter, he also said that he was merely there to answer questions and that in order to do tht in a police station he had to be arrested, the truth was somewhat different.

A warrant had been issued for Redknapp's arrest on suspicion of an alledged conspiracy to defraud and false accounting and this is why the officers swooped in a dawn raid.

At the police station he was by his own admission fingerprinted, samples of his DNA were taken as well as his belt for some reason and he was then bailed to February whilst further investigations took place.

After speaking to a friend in the legal profession, he confirmed that witnesses do not have to be arrested, that they are able to make statements of their own free will and accord and that they would certainly not be fingerprinted etc and bailed. He also confirmed that to issue a warrant police have to have a reasonable suspicion and evidence that the offences named in the warrant have been committed by the suspec, in short when Harry left police custody he lied about his status in the case.

If the police arrest someone without this reasonable suspicion then they leave themselves open to being accused of "Wrongful Arrest" lets be frank with the indignation that Harry showed as he left the Police station, if his version of events were true then a writ for wrongful arrest would almost certainly have been issued by his solicitor immediately, but of course the case against him is still ongoing. 

This is not a comment on whether Harry is guilty or innocent and the validity of the charges, its merely passing an opinion on the events surrounding the case.

Redknapp complained about his treatment and the fact his wife was disturbed at an early hour of the morning, well sorry to say it thats standard practice when multiple suspects are being arrested, just because Harry is a multi millionaire living in a £10 million pound house in sandbanks doesnt make him any better than any of thousands of football supporters arrested in similar circumstances across the country over the past two decades as successive governments have sought to be seen to be tackling a football hooligan problem.

It was interesting to see that Harry received a standing ovation from Pompey fan's on Saturday, a distinct case of amnesia there as they all seemed to forget how Redknapp did the unthinkable and crossed the divide " Ill never go up the road" he said to a group of fans who were waiting outside Fratton as he left the press conference to announce his departure, a week or so later he was at St Mary's, simiarly a year later he departed Saints saying he needed a break from the game only to re emerge at Fratton Park.

Saints fans revelled in the news that Harry had been arrested, many blamed his poor signings and tactics for Saints relegation, but even those that didnt wondered why he continued in the job after relegation, especially since he admitted after his departure that his heart had never been in the club.

The next few months are going to be interesting and although Redknapp is becoming a brand name in the style of Terry Venables, another manager who won nothing in the English game yet enjoys a higher profile than his merits deserve, there are many in English football who would be glad to see the fall of Harry Redknapp, Saints fans see the reasons as do many in the game, sadly Pompey fans dont as was proved by the ovation on Saturday, for them the past is forgotten and all that matter is if Pompey keep winning.      

Photo: Action Images

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