Arsenal legend Lehmann found guilty of property damage and attempted fraud after chainsaw attack on neighbour’s garage

FORMER Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has been found guilty of property damage and attempted fraud following a chainsaw attack on a neighbour's garage.

The German, 54, was fined £112,000 following the verdict at a court in Munich earlier today.

Jens Lehmann was found guilty at a Munich court
2
Jens Lehmann was found guilty at a Munich courtCredit: AP
Lehmann, 54, played for Arsenal between 2003 and 2011 across two stints
2
Lehmann, 54, played for Arsenal between 2003 and 2011 across two stintsCredit: PA:Press Association

Lehmann had been accused of using a chainsaw to hack through the roof beams on his neighbour's garage by Lake Starnberg, which is in the Bavaria region of Germany.

The alleged incident was said to have taken place during the summer of 2022.

He was initially found guilty last December, being slapped with a 10-month suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay more a fine worth more than £350,000.

The former Gunner subsequently launched an appeal, as did Munich prosecutors.

READ MORE ON ARSENAL

According to local reports in Germany, a deal was reached between prosecutors and Lehmann's lawyers prior to the trial's resumption this morning.

Following this morning's session, Lehmann's legal representative Florian Ufer gave an update - with his client having also been on trial for alleged unpaid parking fees.

He said: "Mr Lehmann accepts responsibility.

"He has come to an agreement with his neighbour. The parking fees have been paid."

Lehmann's initial £350,000 fine was reduced to around £112,000.

He is claimed to have paid his neighbour around £50,000 in order to close the matter.

Following the out-of-court settlement, criminal charges against Lehmann regarding the alleged chainsaw attack were dropped.

A spokesperson for Munich District Court had said: "This is not the same as a confession.

"The guilty verdict from the first instance was accepted and is therefore legally binding.

"Now the question is how much the fine will be."

Lehmann played 200 times for Arsenal across two spells; between 2003 and 2008, and during a brief return in 2011.

He was a member of the Gunners' Invincibles side in the 2003-04 season, and won a further FA Cup under Arsene Wenger.

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..

The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.