Redknapp hits out at CPS over trial

The Tottenham manager said the case should never have reached court and described his time in the dock as "horrendous".

The 64-year-old, who is the overwhelming favourite to be the next England manager after Fabio Capello's departure, told reporters that the case was only brought by the CPS because "they thought they had nothing to lose".

Redknapp walked free from Southwark Crown Court, London, on Wednesday following a 13 day trial after jurors accepted his denials of tax dodging on £189,000 in a Monaco account. His acquittal alongside co-defendant Milan Mandaric marked the end of an £8 million investigation which failed to yield a single conviction.

"It was farcical," said Redknapp in an emotionally charged press conference. "It was only (taken to court), as my barrister kept saying, because it was me.

"I was supposed to be saving the chairman a few quid on income tax and he is a man who had paid £100 million in income tax, who at one time employed 40,000 people. Now, suddenly he's sitting there at 74 years of age, accused of nicking ... £30,000 of income tax. It's unreal, isn't it? He's paid millions in tax, employed all these people, kept football clubs going, paid everybody's tax, and suddenly he's accused of this.

"Four times, we tried to get it thrown out. My barrister was saying 'this should not be going to court', but they (the CPS) wanted to go with it. They thought they had nothing to lose. It's not their money...that was the attitude they had."

He added: "It was a horrendous period - the most draining thing I have been through in my life."

Redknapp went on to speak about the affect the trial had on his family, claiming his wife of 44 years, Sandra, fell ill because of the case. "I wouldn't let her come to court, she couldn't have handled it. It would have killed her, without a doubt," Redknapp said. "It made her ill. It slaughtered her. It knocked her for six."

He also thanked his football pundit son Jamie, who stood by him throughout the trial.