Kia Joorabchian was described as a “degenerate gambler” by Saif Alrubie, the jury at Southwark Crown Court were told before being sent to consider their verdict in the defendant’s trial. Alrubie, a football agent, has pleaded not guilty to sending an alleged threatening email to former Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia with the intention of causing her stress and anxiety. Joorabchian, who is also a football agent, was referenced in the email and had been ordered to attend court as a witness. But the court earlier this week was told he flew to America on a private jet the night before his scheduled appearance. In his closing address, Alrubie’s defence barrister Matthew Steadman told the jury: “It is beyond belief that you have witnessed this at Southwark Crown Court, that someone has got on a private jet and flown to the United States at the time he is due to give evidence. In his closing summary of the case to the jury, judge David Tomlinson said that Alrubie had, in his statement to police, described Joorabchian as a “degenerate gambler” who is “always late paying.” Alrubie, who believes he is owed £300,000 in commission for the transfer of Kurt Zouma from...