Shakira criticises Spanish authorities amid tax fraud case: 'It is unacceptable'

Latin American superstar Shakira has criticised the Spanish authorities ahead of the fraud trial which could see her end up with an eight-year jail sentence.

The Colombian singer - 45- hit out in a surprise onslaught four months after learning Spanish state prosecutors were seeking a stiff penalty if she is found guilty of an alleged £12 million tax fraud. A date for the trial at a court in Barcelona has yet to be set.

The mother-of-two claimed in a statement on Friday that she was being 'persecuted' and accused the Spanish Treasury of using 'unacceptable methods to damage her reputation and force her to come to a settlement agreement.'

The Hips Don't Lie crooner insisted she had no intention of making any deals and would to trial.

A spokesman for the Colombian artist also made it clear she felt the country's tax authorities were accusing her of lying about residing outside of Spain 'without evidence' for the years she had been charged with tax fraud.

Shakira, previously a tax resident in the Bahamas, only registered as a full-time tax resident in Spain in 2015 despite starting to date her ex Gerard Pique five years earlier.