Crawley owner might go to jail

One of the owners of Crawley Football Club could be on his way to jail after failing to turn up in person for some community work. This from the Crawley Angus as reported by the very informative Altrincham website.

A football club boss faces jail after getting a substitute to carry out his community service. Azwar Majeed, the Porsche-driving owner of Crawley Town Football Club, sent a lackie to carry out the 60 hours of unpaid work he got for an assault. Danny Ullah, 29, one of Majeed's staff, spent his time pottering around gardens and clearing weeds under the eye of probation officers while the football club boss had his feet up. The two men agreed to the con after Majeed, 31, from Dyke Road, Brighton, was sentenced to do the work in June 2005. Faced with the prospect of running his numerous businesses, which include the bar Ja Vu in North Street, Brighton and Ja Ja Bar, Crawley, along with the football club, Majeed and Ullah swapped identities and Majeed gave the court Ullah's address.

By the time the deception came to light, Ullah, 29, from Seaview Avenue, Peacehaven, had carried out seven sessions - almost all of the 60 hours of unpaid work. Yesterday at Hove Crown Court both men were warned they faced jail sentences after admitting perverting the course of justice. The court heard Majeed was sentenced to 60 hours community service after he was convicted of common assault in June 2005. The deception was not discovered until September 2005. Jeffrey Lamb, defending Majeed, told the court his client was currently subject to another community service order. Majeed was given 90 hours for punching and smashing the jaw of 18-year-old Martin Grainger outside a chip shop in Worthing in September 2005.

He has still to complete 76 hours of the work but the order has been suspended because of injuries he suffered when he crashed his yellow Porsche 911 on the A23 at Pyecombe in January. Judge Cedric Joseph adjourned sentence until September 21. He told the defendants: 'The overwhelming probability is a custodial sentence'. The two men were released on bail. Majeed and his brother Chas have variously hit the headlines for their running of Crawley Town Football Club, which has suffered major financial troubles for the last three seasons.

The Majeed brothers were also in hot water after a mass brawl outside Ja Vu bar, then called Saqqara. Police closed the bar and criticised its management shortly afterwards... Azwar Majeed refused to comment.

Steve Evans, who was with Boston, is currently manager of Crawley.

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