National Referee Development Manager’s computer seized by police « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News. 800,000 visits last month

Greater Manchester Police officers have apprehended Dean Mohareb, the national referee development manager of the FA.

This follows a complaint by Janie Frampton who was dismissed from her FA post for professional misconduct earlier this year.  Ms Frampton’s case followed an FA ruling that she had offered FA Cup semi-final tickets to British Airways staff in return for upgrades on a trip to a football tournament in the US.

That matter is now in the hands of an employment tribunal – a legal process of redress for anyone who feels they have been dismissed unreasonably.

In this separate matter Ms Frampton has claimed that private emails sent from her FA email account while she was employed by the FA were hacked by and leaked by Dean Mohareb.

Mohareb has stated to the police that he is innocent.  But the police have taken the allegations seriously enough to remove his computer under a warrant from magistrates.

Mr Mohareb is said to be a “highly regarded” League referee but it seems doubtful that he will referee again while the matter is under police investigation.  I should add, in case you live outside the UK, computer and phone hacking is very much in the news in the UK following numerous situations in which one or the other has been used by the national media.

The emails concerned are thought to be those that brought about the dismissal of Ms Frampton.  It is said that she wrote:

“We spoke on our trip from Heathrow to Dallas.

“We discussed the possibility of an upgrade for myself and the three girls for our flight home. It would be great if this is possible. I have secured two tickets for the Liverpool v Everton semi-final.”

In another, it is alleged that Ms Frampton said:

“We are all checked in for our flight later this afternoon. If the upgrade is possible, would we find out when we arrive at the desk? If all is successful please email me your postal address so I can send the tickets.”

Meanwhile Michael Chopra is one of three players now accused of betting-related corruption in relation to racing.  The others are James Coppinger of Nottingham Forest and Mark Wilson, formerly of Manchester United.  They are charged by the British Horseracing Authority along with a jockey of a  conspiracy to commit a corrupt or fraudulent practice in relation to betting on horses.

The Football Association is said to be aware of the case and is following it, but will not make a statement until the Authority’s ruling is released.

Chopra has discussed his gambling habit in the media saying that he has lost up to £2m in gambling, sometimes gambling £20k a day.

In this case the Authority has made application to the High Court to obtain disclosure of phone calls made on mobile phones.  As we say in the industry in which I work (digital advertising) if you want something kept quiet, send it by post.