French courts sentence former Man United star Evra to suspended prison term

Former Manchester United star Patrick Evra has been handed a 12-month suspended prison sentence by French courts.

The sentence comes after the player failed to pay nearly £1 million in alimony to his ex-wife, Sandra Evra, according to reports.

Additionally, Evra has been ordered to pay €4,000 for moral damages and €2,000 in legal costs.

Evra reacted to the reports by posting a video on social media, where he humorously danced in a caged basketball court with handcuffs.

He captioned the video: “Let me shutdown this rubbish news: look how much I enjoyed myself in prison,” accompanied by three laughing emojis.

French judges ruled that the 43-year-old had effectively “abandoned” his wife and their two children between May 2021 and September 2023.

Evra’s lawyers have appealed the verdict, arguing against the court’s decision.

Nathalie Dubois, representing Sandra Evra, stated, “I hope that, thanks to this decision, Patrice Evra will finally understand that he is not above the law and that we cannot abandon our wife and children overnight.”

In contrast, Jérôme Boursican, Evra’s lawyer, argued, “Mr. Patrice Evra appealed, knowing that he provided his wife with an apartment, a house with a swimming pool in the south of France, and lent her almost two million euros for her daily life. A sum that she refuses to return, and this is the reason for this trial.”

Evra, who started his career in France and rose to prominence with Monaco, joined Manchester United in 2006.

During his time at Old Trafford, he made 379 appearances, winning five Premier League titles, three League Cups, and a Champions League title, before leaving in 2014.