Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley feared he would be jailed in the UAE after insulting the Dubai royal family, Islam and Kevin Keegan in a bar.
Details of the alleged incident, which is said to have taken place in September 2008, have emerged in a ruling on the latest round of a High Court dispute involving the Sports Direct boss and former Newcastle vice president Tony Jimenez.
Jimenez is being sued by Ashley for alleged “deliberate fraud” and is refuting claims he owes £3million over a 2008 French golf course deal.
He claims the amount was paid in relation to the pair attempting to sell Newcastle to Middle Eastern investors more than a decade ago.
According to Jimenez, while at a bar in Dubai on the evening of September 16, 11 years ago, Ashley scuppered any chances of a sale by “behaving badly” report the Sun.
It is reported that Ashley made a number of disparaging remarks about the Dubai royals, the country’s religion and and former manager Keegan.
Ashley is said to have asked Jimenez for help after fearing his antics would see him locked up in jail and is said to have admitted he ‘may have made a ‘regrettable’ remark’.
The judge said: “Mr Jimenez says Mr Ashley made remarks that were much more widely directed and included insults to the Dubai Royal Family and the Islamic faith and its followers, and to Kevin Keegan.
“It was ‘common ground that steps were taken by Mr Ashley to manage the way in which the event was reported’ but said there were ‘significant differences of recollection about the effect of the events’.
“Mr Jimenez says Mr Ashley was shaking and saying he and his business empire faced ruin,” the judge added.