Birmingham City owner gets extra time before trial

A Hong Kong court on Wednesday delayed the start of the money-laundering trial of Birmingham City owner Carson Yeung until next year after his defence team asked for more time to prepare.

The former hairdresser-turned-football tycoon was arrested and charged in June last year with five counts of "dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence".

The trial was slated to run for 15 days at the Chinese city's district court from Wednesday but it was adjourned after the judge allowed an application from Yeung's lawyers on grounds that they needed extra time.

"Public money would be better spent waiting to (allow) the defendant to get his defence ready and proceed to a swift and efficient trial," judge Douglas Yau said, after hearing arguments from the defence and prosecution.

He fixed April 29, 2013 as the start date for the trial and set aside 25 days for the case.

Yeung's lawyers argue that the businessman is innocent and say they will prove the 52-year-old was already wealthy before the alleged offences occurred between 2001 and 2007. Yeung has yet to enter his plea.

Prosecutors have said about HK$720 million ($93 million) passed through accounts connected to Yeung, although details of the claims remain unclear.

Yeung failed in his bid last week to have the case postponed for six months on the grounds that most of his assets have been frozen, preventing him from hiring a legal team.