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Cape Town - A World Cup court on Friday postponed the trespass case of a British fan arrested for entering the England team changing room and lecturing David Beckham on the squad's drab performance.
Magistrate Aziz Hamied extended Pavlos Joseph's bail and postponed the matter until Wednesday to give the defence time to raise new issues with prosecutors, which could lead to the dropping of charges.
"If those are successful, that will be the end of the matter. Alternatively, it will be plea and trial," he told Joseph.
The fan says he wandered by accident on June 18 into the dressing room after England drew 0-0 draw with Algeria while looking for a toilet but he also told the team their performance had been a disgrace.
'Unacceptable'
England lodged an official protest with FIFA, and football's world governing body called the incident "unacceptable" after it appeared security guards merely turned the supporter away rather than arrest him.
The episode happened just minutes after a visit by the British princes William and Harry.
The Sunday Mirror quoted Joseph as saying he accidently stumbled into the dressing room and told former England captain Beckham that the team's performance had been a "disgrace".
He then said the players' performance was "woeful and not good enough" before being told to leave by an official.
Beckham brushed off the incident, saying it had been "blown out of proportion".
"The actual fan literally just walked in very casually and just said something to me and then walked out - there was no scuffle, there was no aggression at all."
Joseph was arrested last Sunday after police tracked him to his Cape Town hotel. He was released on bail after surrendering his passport.
Magistrate Aziz Hamied extended Pavlos Joseph's bail and postponed the matter until Wednesday to give the defence time to raise new issues with prosecutors, which could lead to the dropping of charges.
"If those are successful, that will be the end of the matter. Alternatively, it will be plea and trial," he told Joseph.
The fan says he wandered by accident on June 18 into the dressing room after England drew 0-0 draw with Algeria while looking for a toilet but he also told the team their performance had been a disgrace.
'Unacceptable'
England lodged an official protest with FIFA, and football's world governing body called the incident "unacceptable" after it appeared security guards merely turned the supporter away rather than arrest him.
The episode happened just minutes after a visit by the British princes William and Harry.
The Sunday Mirror quoted Joseph as saying he accidently stumbled into the dressing room and told former England captain Beckham that the team's performance had been a "disgrace".
He then said the players' performance was "woeful and not good enough" before being told to leave by an official.
Beckham brushed off the incident, saying it had been "blown out of proportion".
"The actual fan literally just walked in very casually and just said something to me and then walked out - there was no scuffle, there was no aggression at all."
Joseph was arrested last Sunday after police tracked him to his Cape Town hotel. He was released on bail after surrendering his passport.
