Hong Kong trial date postponed for Birmingham City owner

HONG KONG (Reuters) - A Hong Kong court on Wednesday agreed to postpone the start of a money laundering trial for Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung, the owner of English football club Birmingham City, given a need to gather further evidence.
Among the charges the tycoon is facing is alleged money laundering including "dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence" of more than HK$720 million.
District court judge Douglas Yau agreed to defer the trial date to April 29 next year following a request by Yeung's lawyer to gather more evidence and better prepare their defence, saying that Yeung had been "living in a state of limbo".
In recent months, Yeung's financial troubles have seemingly mounted including the threat of eviction from a luxury home in the exclusive Peak district for non-payment of mortgage installments, stoking uncertainty over the fate of Birmingham City Football Club in which he holds a controlling stake.
As head of Hong Kong-listed Birmingham International Holdings Ltd <2309.HK>, the tycoon was arrested in June 2011, since when trading in the company's shares has been suspended.
Appearing in court in a dark suit with a blue tie, the 52-year-old Yeung appeared calm and declined to speak to the judge in English, instead using a Cantonese interpretor.
Yeung, a former hairdresser, took control of Birmingham City in October 2009 through Birmingham International. The parent company last month said it had been approached by two potential buyers to explore the possibility of buying the club.
Birmingham City play in the English Championship, one level below the wealthy Premier League, after being relegated in 2011. They have made a poor start to the season and are currently in the bottom half of the 24-team league.
(Reporting By Grace Li; Editing by James Pomfret)