Cellino may face further League sanctions after fine over car tax

Cellino was fined €40,000 at a court hearing in Cagliari yesterday after failing to pay VAT on a Range Rover which had been imported from the United States, according to reports in Sardinia.

He was found guilty of tax evasion, but acquitted of customs offences because estimates of the vehicle’s value fell below the threshold of criminal liability.

The league will now wait to study formal court documents from the case before establishing whether this latest conviction was confirmed by the court judge to be a dishonest act – which could result in a further ban for Cellino under their owners’ and directors’ test.

The same judge in Cagliari, Dr Sandra Lepore, convicted Cellino of tax evasion in relation to his yacht, Nelie, last year and fined him €600,000.

That conviction led to Cellino being disqualified by the Football League in December from having any executive influence at Leeds for four months after they ruled the offence to be dishonest.

The League ruled that because the tax offence involving Nelie had been confirmed by the Italian judge to have been a dishonest act, Cellino breached rules regarding owners and directors.

Cellino failed to have his disqualification overturned at a League hearing in January.

In early March, the ban was extended until the end of the season as a result of Cellino’s failure to disclose court documents.

The United owner also faces a separate court hearing in Italy for tax evasion in relation to a second yacht, Lucky 23, in October.

Leeds have made no comment about the Range Rover case.

Huddersfield Town have made their first signing of the summer after bringing in much-travelled midfielder Dean Whitehead on a two-year deal.

Whitehead, 33, recently left Middlesbrough and will link up with former Boro team-mate Jacob Butterfield and provide competition in the engine room.

York City have made a double swoop – signing goalkeeper Scott Flinders and midfielder James Berrett to take their tally of summer signings to four.

Hartlepool United goalkeeper Flinders has agreed a one-year contract with the option of a second after turning down a new deal at Pools.

Ex-Huddersfield player Berrett has penned a two-year deal after leaving Yeovil Town

Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Jose Semedo has signed a 12-month contract extension at Hillsborough.