EXCLUSIVE: Arrest warrant is issued for ex-Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge after failing to appear in Los Angeles court over $30,000 reward allegedly owed to man who found his missing dog in 2019

An arrest warrant has been issued for Daniel Sturridge after he failed to appear in a Los Angeles court over money he believes he owes a man who says he found his dog.

The former England striker, 34, offered a reward for the safe return of his pet Pomeranian in July 2019 after he revealed it had been stolen from his home in LA.

Foster Washington, an American rapper known as Killa Fame, was credited with reuniting Sturridge with his dog Lucci, but said he had not received the promised payment, prompting him to launch a civil lawsuit .

In December 2021, a court in LA ordered Sturridge to pay Washington $30,000 (£24,400) following a default judgment, which came after the former Liverpool star failed to respond to the complaint.

The Sky Sports pundit – who has not been seen on screen since the first Super Sunday show of the season – was called to court last month for a ‘debtor’s examination’, where he was supposed to answer questions about his finances answer.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Sky Sports pundit Daniel Sturridge after he failed to appear in court over a man’s claim he did not receive a reward for finding his dog in 2019.

The former Liverpool striker was left distraught after Lucci was abducted from his LA home and launched an appeal offering $30,000 for his safe return

However, Sturridge did not attend and court documents seen by Mail Sport show he has now received a bench warrant – a summons issued by a judge to arrest and bring an accused person to court. A new trial has been set for November 30.

Sturridge’s representatives did not respond to Mail Sport’s requests for comment.

Sturridge posted about the dispute on X, formerly Twitter, after the initial court ruling in December 2021.

He wrote: ‘Just to let you know the truth at Christmas. I met a young boy who found my dog ​​and paid him a reward, which he was delighted with, as I was to get my dog ​​back because it had been stolen.

‘Other people try to take advantage for their own personal gain. Thanks again to the young lad. I am very grateful that Lucci is back with our family.’

But Washington, who claims to have spent more than $10,000 in legal fees, said Post Sports. ‘For me it is a point of principle. He promised me the money. This is a significant amount of money that could change my family’s life.

‘He thinks he is above the law. He thinks that because he is rich he does not have to react to what is going on. That’s why I had to have the judge issue a warrant for him to pay the money.’

Thomas Scully, Washington’s attorney, added: ‘A lot of people just decide to ignore lawsuits for whatever reason and a lot of times they get away with it because they don’t have the money.

‘But it doesn’t look like Daniel Sturridge is going to get away with it. He has the money to pay and he has the money to hire a lawyer. He just doesn’t feel like it.

An American rapper responded to the post and uploaded several images of the dog being restrained in a car seat

Foster Washington claimed Sturridge ‘thought he was above the law’ and said his legal challenge was ‘a matter of principle’

Sturridge is known for playing for Liverpool and England but has since retired from football

Sturridge played for the England team in 2016 – he scored 26 senior caps

“He probably doesn’t feel he’s bound to the California courts and so he’s probably just going to continue to ignore it.

“But I have some other tools in the California civil process and I’m going to keep trying to move forward with them. This is not the end of the story. I’m definitely not giving up yet.’

Sturridge’s last professional game was for Perth Glory in the Australian A-League in April 2022, although he has never announced his retirement.

Sky announced him as a new pundit at the start of this season and he immediately made an impression on his debut, with viewers wondering why he hadn’t appeared since the opening weekend in August.