Relief as Messi tax fraud sentence reduced to fine

Lionel Messi and his father saw their suspended prison sentences for tax fraud reduced to fines by a Barcelona court on Friday.

The pair had been convicted of hiding image rights royalties in offshore accounts and had been given suspended jail terms of 21 and 15 months.

Messi will pay 252,000 euros ($287,000) and his father 180,000 euros.Punch