By . Will Stewart In Moscow . PUBLISHED: . 18:54 EST, 23 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:45 EST, 23 June 2013 . Resigned: Lebedev said he expects to be sent to prison in July but hope his sentence is less than two years . Both sides in newspaper owner Alexander Lebedev’s controversial trial in Moscow expect him to be found guilty, with the media tycoon hoping his sentence will be less than two years, it was revealed yesterday. But in a surprise statement, his foe Sergei Polonsky’s glamorous lawyer predicted Lebedev will be convicted - but avoid prison. The farcical court case is over two 'punches' thrown by Lebedev after he was 'provoked' during a TV debate on the Russian economy. The tycoon faces the sledgehammer charge of hooliganism motivated by 'political hatred' which carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail. Ex-KGB spy Lebedev - who owns The Independent titles and the London Evening Standard - admitted at the weekend that he is 'steeling' himself for jail in a case that some analysts see as a move by the Kremlin to crush his investigative Russian newspaper. Others see the legal action against him as a bid by corrupt officials to destroy his business empire and grab his assets. 'Anyone can see that I’m innocent but obviously I have to prepare myself for jail,' said Lebedev, 53. 'What I’m hoping for is a sentence of less than two years. To put it mildly, it’s unpleasant, but I’m mentally steeling myself. I’m not scared. I won’t flee.' But fugitive Polonsky’s lawyer Diana Tatosova said: 'I am more than 99.9 per cent sure we will win the trial and he will be found guilty. But most likely he will not go to jail.' At the weekend, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, 82, issued a statement to the Mail on Sunday denouncing the prosecution and declaring: 'It was no more than a minor incident that does not even deserve a court hearing.' A verdict in the case - which resumes in Moscow today - is  expected by early July. In a move which raises huge doubts that justice will be done, the judge is refusing to call 'star witness' Polonsky, 40, to give evidence and face cross examination at the trial on the basis that he is on bail in Cambodia facing a police probe into allegations he kidnapped and threatened a group of local sailors. This is despite photographic evidence that Polonsky is instead in a bolthole in Tel Aviv where Tatosova admits she is seeking to obtain Israeli citizenship for her property mogul client. Charges: Lebedev faces up to five years in prison for hooliganism motivated by 'political hatred' after he threw 'two punches' at Sergei Polonsky in TV debate . Backing: Lebedev, left, has received the support of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (pictured together at the Evening Standard) The judge did, however, accept prosecution testimony from a woman who watched the show on TV and was randomly recruited by lawyers after stepping off a bus in central Moscow. Outside court: Alexander Lebedev's wife Elena Perminova waits anxiously as his trial continues in Moscow. The couple have two young sons . Tatosova revealed she has filed requests to archives in Russia, Latvia and Azerbaijan in a bid to prove Polonsky has Jewish blood. Polonsky is separately wanted in Russia on a £121 million charge for fraud and embezzlement over an alleged scam of buyers of a planned elite residential development called ‘Kutuzovskaya Mile’. Russians who claim to have been hoodwinked by Polonsky yesterday wrote to the Israeli government calling for his passport bid to be blocked. 'Everyone in Russia and the world will think that Israeli citizenship can be bought for money made in an illegal way,' states their letter. 'Swindlers can do anything and you will not only fail to punish but will even encourage their conduct. As a result, the reputation of the Israeli State will sustain significant damage, and Polonsky will be a shame to Israel, after he has already become a shame in Russia.' Tatosova, 31, also claimed Polonsky’s life could be threatened by returning to Russia. Lebedev has alleged a relationship between Polonsky and the lawyer who helped negotiate his release from detention in Cambodia in April. She denied this, hitting back by posting a semi-nude picture of Lebedev’s wife, Siberian-born model Elena Perminova.
Alexander Lebedev's legal team expect him to be jailed for punches thrown during a TV debate .
Facing charges of hooliganism motivated by 'political hatred' in Moscow .
Newspaper owner could be sentenced to up to five years in prison .
53-year-old said he is 'steeling himself' for prison and hopes sentence is less than two years .
By . Will Stewart In Moscow . PUBLISHED: . 18:54 EST, 23 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:45 EST, 23 June 2013 . Resigned: Lebedev said he expects to be sent to prison in July but hope his sentence is less than two years . Both sides in newspaper owner Alexander Lebedev’s controversial trial in Moscow expect him to be found guilty, with the media tycoon hoping his sentence will be less than two years, it was revealed yesterday. But in a surprise statement, his foe Sergei Polonsky’s glamorous lawyer predicted Lebedev will be convicted - but avoid prison. The farcical court case is over two 'punches' thrown by Lebedev after he was 'provoked' during a TV debate on the Russian economy. The tycoon faces the sledgehammer charge of hooliganism motivated by 'political hatred' which carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail. Ex-KGB spy Lebedev - who owns The Independent titles and the London Evening Standard - admitted at the weekend that he is 'steeling' himself for jail in a case that some analysts see as a move by the Kremlin to crush his investigative Russian newspaper. Others see the legal action against him as a bid by corrupt officials to destroy his business empire and grab his assets. 'Anyone can see that I’m innocent but obviously I have to prepare myself for jail,' said Lebedev, 53. 'What I’m hoping for is a sentence of less than two years. To put it mildly, it’s unpleasant, but I’m mentally steeling myself. I’m not scared. I won’t flee.' But fugitive Polonsky’s lawyer Diana Tatosova said: 'I am more than 99.9 per cent sure we will win the trial and he will be found guilty. But most likely he will not go to jail.' At the weekend, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, 82, issued a statement to the Mail on Sunday denouncing the prosecution and declaring: 'It was no more than a minor incident that does not even deserve a court hearing.' A verdict in the case - which resumes in Moscow today - is  expected by early July. In a move which raises huge doubts that justice will be done, the judge is refusing to call 'star witness' Polonsky, 40, to give evidence and face cross examination at the trial on the basis that he is on bail in Cambodia facing a police probe into allegations he kidnapped and threatened a group of local sailors. This is despite photographic evidence that Polonsky is instead in a bolthole in Tel Aviv where Tatosova admits she is seeking to obtain Israeli citizenship for her property mogul client. Charges: Lebedev faces up to five years in prison for hooliganism motivated by 'political hatred' after he threw 'two punches' at Sergei Polonsky in TV debate . Backing: Lebedev, left, has received the support of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (pictured together at the Evening Standard) The judge did, however, accept prosecution testimony from a woman who watched the show on TV and was randomly recruited by lawyers after stepping off a bus in central Moscow. Outside court: Alexander Lebedev's wife Elena Perminova waits anxiously as his trial continues in Moscow. The couple have two young sons . Tatosova revealed she has filed requests to archives in Russia, Latvia and Azerbaijan in a bid to prove Polonsky has Jewish blood. Polonsky is separately wanted in Russia on a £121 million charge for fraud and embezzlement over an alleged scam of buyers of a planned elite residential development called ‘Kutuzovskaya Mile’. Russians who claim to have been hoodwinked by Polonsky yesterday wrote to the Israeli government calling for his passport bid to be blocked. 'Everyone in Russia and the world will think that Israeli citizenship can be bought for money made in an illegal way,' states their letter. 'Swindlers can do anything and you will not only fail to punish but will even encourage their conduct. As a result, the reputation of the Israeli State will sustain significant damage, and Polonsky will be a shame to Israel, after he has already become a shame in Russia.' Tatosova, 31, also claimed Polonsky’s life could be threatened by returning to Russia. Lebedev has alleged a relationship between Polonsky and the lawyer who helped negotiate his release from detention in Cambodia in April. She denied this, hitting back by posting a semi-nude picture of Lebedev’s wife, Siberian-born model Elena Perminova.
is less than two years . Both sides in newspaper owner Alexander Lebedev’s controversial trial in Moscow expect him to be found guilty, with the case is over two 'punches' thrown by Lebedev after he was 'provoked' during a TV debate on the sledgehammer charge of hooliganism motivated by he is 'steeling' himself for jail in a case that client. Charges: Lebedev faces up to five years in prison for hooliganism motivated by 'political