On the pitch he was the improbably coiffured midfield star who dazzled male opponents with his skills and delighted female fans with a certain je ne sais quoi.
But seven years after retiring as a professional, David Ginola’s image is taking a battering in his native France as the former Newcastle United player faces up to criminal proceedings for allegedly abandoning the daughter he had with his mistress.
The case was brought by Joelle Pinquier, who says she had an affair with the footballer-turned-actor in the early 1990s and gave birth to Joy, his daughter, now aged 17.
Ginola, 42, who denies the allegations, faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a fine of 15,000 euros if found guilty. He is accused of failing to pay the full child maintenance of 450 euros a month set by a French court in 2006.
The trial, originally due to be held this week in Marseilles in southern France, was postponed until December after Mrs Pinquier submitted evidence which she says proves Ginola’s paternity.
“David has always refused to assume his responsibilities,” she told La Provence, the regional daily. ”He just does as he wants.” She said he only paid the 450 euros ”once every six months.” “It’s wrong to play with the soul of a child,” said Mrs Pinquier, 40, from Marseilles, claiming that she had had a six-month affair with Ginola between 1991 and 1992.
Maître Gilbert Collard, her lawyer, accused the footballer of failing to submit himself to a paternity test ordered by a French judge in 2005. But Maître Benedicte Puybasset, Ginola’s lawyer, denounced the proceedings as ”hot air”.
“We don’t risk anything at all. I am awaiting the verdict with serenity.”
Ginola - nicknamed El Magnifico because of his playboy looks and flamboyant style - sprung to fame at Paris Saint Germain before playing for Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Everton in Britain.
He won international caps for France and featured in advertising campaigns for L’Oréal, the French cosmetics giant, before turning to films when his playing career ended in 2002.
He was the voice of Jacques the shrimp in Finding Nemo and had a role in The Last Drop, Colin Teague’s war movie.
According to the latest figures, more than 4,000 men are found guilty of neglecting to pay child maintenance every year in France. The charge of ”abandoning your family” can be brought under the French penal code if a parent fails to pay at least two month’s of child maintenance in full.
Source:The times
search the web
Custom Search
