Arrest warrant issued for City owner

Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has had a second set of arrest warrants issued against him in his native Thailand.

The former Thai prime minister and his wife are the subject of a police inquiry into the couple's alleged violation of stock-trading laws.

Last month saw the country's Supreme Court issue a first warrant after the pair failed to return home to answer corruption charges relating to a land sale. Thaksin is accused of abusing his position by helping his wife buy land from a state agency at a favourable price.

The Department of Special Investigations have also been looking into allegations Thaksin, who bought City this summer, and his wife Pojaman concealed their assets in a firm, SC Assets Co Ltd.

The DSI said a second warrant had been sought as the couple had repeatedly failed to appear in Bangkok to hear the charges.

Thaksin has not returned to Thailand since he was deposed as premier a year ago.

He and his family have denied all corruption allegations against them, and claims the charges are politically motivated.

Thaksin's lawyer Noppadol Pattama recently claimed his client feared his life would be in danger if he returned to Thailand.