No charges against Birmingham City bosses Sullivan and Brady
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The co-owner and chief executive of Birmingham City Football Club will not be prosecuted after a two-year police investigation into suspected tax irregularities, their lawyers said today.
David Sullivan and Karren Brady have been told no further action will be taken against them, law firm BCL Burton Copeland said in a statement.
The two were arrested by City of London Police officers as part of a wider investigation into corruption in football.
The statement said: "David Sullivan and Karren Brady are pleased to confirm that following a two year investigation by City of London Police and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs into Birmingham City Football Club, they have today received written confirmation that a decision has been taken that no proceedings will be instituted.
"Whilst always confident of this outcome, the period of the investigation was understandably a stressful time and David and Karren are now happy to put the matter behind them and look forward to the future."
Mrs Brady and Mr Sullivan have vehemently denied any wrongdoing since their arrest. The club's offices were also searched.
Seven other football figures, including Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie, Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp and Milan Mandaric, the Leicester City chairman, have also been questioned as part of the wider inquiry by City of London Police. All deny any wrongdoing.
Ms Brady, 40, became the youngest managing director of a UK plc when Birmingham City floated on the stock market in 1997.
Mr Sullivan, 60, the multi-millionaire former proprietor of the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport newspapers, co-owns Birmingham City with brothers David and Ralph Gold.
A City of London Police spokesman said: "A 60-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting in April 2008 have been released from bail."