Terry lawyers to attend hearing

Feb 1 2012

Lawyers for England football captain John Terry are to attend the first court hearing in his prosecution for allegedly racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.

The multimillionaire Chelsea defender is not himself expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London on Wednesday morning.

Prosecutors ruled before Christmas that Terry should be charged with a racially-aggravated public order offence over video footage which appears to show him shout an offensive comment at Queens Park Rangers defender Ferdinand.

Terry, 31, who faces a maximum fine of £2,500 if convicted, has denied making the alleged slur during a Barclays Premier League match at Loftus Road on October 23 last year.

When the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced the charges, the player said he was "disappointed" but would fight "tooth and nail" to prove his innocence.

The footballer will be represented by his solicitor in court today for what is expected to be a short procedural hearing, a CPS spokeswoman said.

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