Kia Joorabchian was described as a “degenerate gambler” by Saif Alrubie, the jury at Southwark Crown Court were told before being sent to consider their verdict in the defendant’s trial.

Alrubie, a football agent, has pleaded not guilty to sending an alleged threatening email to former Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia with the intention of causing her stress and anxiety.

Joorabchian, who is also a football agent, was referenced in the email and had been ordered to attend court as a witness. But the court earlier this week was told he flew to America on a private jet the night before his scheduled appearance.

In his closing address, Alrubie’s defence barrister Matthew Steadman told the jury: “It is beyond belief that you have witnessed this at Southwark Crown Court, that someone has got on a private jet and flown to the United States at the time he is due to give evidence.

In his closing summary of the case to the jury, judge David Tomlinson said that Alrubie had, in his statement to police, described Joorabchian as a “degenerate gambler” who is “always late paying.”

Alrubie, who believes he is owed £300,000 in commission for the transfer of Kurt Zouma from Chelsea to West Ham United, was warned to stop being “confrontational” by judge Tomlinson during his cross-examination by prosecutor Arizuna Asante on Thursday.

During his closing address to the jury on Friday, Mr Asante said: “Mr Alrubie seems quite pleasant and accommodating until he believes you disagree with his point of view or his belief that you owe him money. He becomes insulting, threatening and aggressive.”

Mr Steadman countered by telling the jury: “Whether you like him (Alrubie) or not or the way he has conducted himself, this is not a court of morals.”

On Joorabchian’s absence, Mr Asante told the jury: “Kia Joorabchian was expected to come to court to give evidence. There is no evidence about his reason not to be here.

“You may recall that Mr Alrubie was mocking him from the witness box. You are not allowed to speculate what a witness might have said and no one should invite you to speculate.

“Speculation that he might not have come because he was afraid to be asked questions that might embarrass him is just as valid as saying that he was scared of the consequences of giving evidence against Mr Alrubie.

“However much will be made of Mr Joorabchian’s non-appearances at court, the fact of the matter is it is not him who is on trial.”