Thaksin Shinawatra’s legal team have pleaded with Manchester City’s fans not to judge their new owner despite damning allegations over his human rights record during his time at Thailand’s Prime Minister.

Thaksin currently has almost £1 billion in assets frozen by the military government that ousted him from power last year.

In addition, he is wanted back in his homeland to answer a string of corruption charges which, if he is found guilty, could result in a 10-year jail term.

Thaksin has already stated he has no intention of return to Thailand from London, where he is currently living in exile, until free elections have taken place at the end of the year.

However, fresh allegations, aired in a BBC Radio Five Live documentary, about Thaksin’s time in office have surfaced, along with news that respected human rights organisation ’Human Rights Watch’ have written to the Premier League questioning whether Thaksin should pass the ’fit and proper persons test’ required by all top flight owners.

Publicly, the Premier League have defended their decision to back Thaksin’s £81.6 million City takeover, pointing out that as he was legally able to buy UK companies, there is little they can do to stop him purchasing a football club. Privately, there is no desire in the Premier League to take a stand against an individual who won two democratic elections in his homeland but is now being pursued by those who ousted him.

City officials are also relaxed about the situation, although their defence of Thaksin is understandable given the millions he has just poured into the club, including the appointment of Sven Goran Eriksson, the former England coach.

However, Noppadol Pattama, Thaksin’s trusted lawyer, is aware of the damage the renewed allegations could cause to his clients’ public image and has called on City’s fans to remain patient.

“I hope Manchester City Football Club, its fans and the British people remain fair-minded,” he told the programme. “They should suspend their judgement because all the charges being laid against him are politically motivated.

“Those who claim someone has committed any crime or wrongdoing should have the ability to prove it. As far as my client is concerned, this has not happened.

“He deserves to be treated as an innocent man and we are confident, should any extradition request be sent from the Thai government to the British one, we will be able to explain the issue is wholly politically motivated.”

Aside from Eriksson’s arrival, Shinawatra has also funded the arrivals of four new players, with a further two due in by the end of the week.

However, his move into the Premier League has sparked a debate over the ’fit and proper persons test’, which Gerry Sutcliffe, the new Sports Minister, believes should be standardised across the English game.

“At the moment, there are three tests; the FA, the Premier League and the Football League,” he said. “I would prefer the test was standardised because it would help the ownership of clubs become more transparent.”

The first charges against Thaksin are due to be heard in his absence on August 16, 24 hours after City open their home league programme against Derby.