Former Arsenal star fined more than £100,000 over chainsaw incident

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehman has been fined over an incident involving a chainsaw. Lehman hung up his boots in 2019 after briefly returning to the Gunners where he previously made 147 league appearances over five years.

Since then he has spent time with Arsenal as a goalkeeper coach and at Augsburg as an assistant manager. He also spent around a year at Hertha Berlin as a board member, leaving in 2021 after sending a racist WhatsApp message to a Sky Sports pundit, something he later apologies for. Now, Lehman has been fined €135,000 (£113,000) by a court in his hometown of Starnburg.

The now 54-year-old was accused of sawing off a roof beam in his neighbour’s garage with a chainsaw, which took place in 2022. He was initially fined €420,000 (£351,000) but the fine was lowered on appeal. His lawyer, Florian Ufer said: “Mr Lehmann accepts responsibility. He has come to an agreement with his neighbour.”

Judge Tanja Walter said Lehman “consistently portrayed himself as a victim of the justice system,” adding that he was “not a victim” but a “perpetrator.“ Lehman has also been dodging parking fines at Munich airport, according to the Evening Standard report, but he settled them upon his return to court.

During his career, Lehman made 61 appearances for Germany. He began his career with Schalke in 1987, making 621 league appearances during his career.