Elgin City Footballer Accused Of Match Betting Fraud Charge

7 March 2023
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A Scottish league footballer accused of hatching a plot with good friends to defraud a bookie had more than ₤ 2,000 in his bedside drawer, a trial heard.


Elgin City striker Kane Hester was discovered with the money when his family home was raided.


He rejects backing himself to get scheduled during a match versus Hibs as part of a plan with 3 others to defraud Bet365.


Findlay Soutar, Calvin Parrott and Brodie Myres likewise deny the charge.


In a joint declaration concurred by the Crown and defence lawyers, it was confirmed that Mr Hester had actually gotten a yellow card during the first half of the Scottish League Cup video game.


It likewise confirmed that the 3 other accused had carried out a number of monetary deals in the hours before the match in July 2019.


Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan read the statement to jurors at Dundee Sheriff Court where the implicated, all from Montrose, have actually gone on trial.


Suspicious wagering patterns


Mr Duncan stated it was concurred as truth that Mr Myres had paid cash into Mr Soutar's account and likewise into an account coming from Mr Parrott.


He said bets worth thousands of pounds had been put on Mr Hester getting scheduled and the bookmaker had paid earnings at chances of 5-1.


Mr Duncan stated it was concurred that combination bets - including Mr Hester getting a yellow card - were also positioned and won by members of the implicated group.


The Scottish Football Association stepped in to produce a performance review of Mr Hester throughout the match after being signaled about suspicious betting patterns on the game.


The court was shown video footage of Hester's home being raided and the footballer telling officers he understood what they were there for and would take them to the cash.


Hester stated: "Do you know what would be simpler? I know what you are talking about. There's no point mucking you about.


"I have actually got the cash, it's at home. If I take you home and provide you the money, that's what happened.


"I was scheduled in a video game and my friends gave me money for it - ₤ 2,500."


Mr Hester is declared to have outlined before the match with 3 others to place a series of bets on him being by the referee.


The court heard ₤ 2,400 was later on found in his bedside drawer.


The charge declares the four men got ₤ 17,333.32 in payments from Bet365 in 2019, which ₤ 13,583.32 of it was acquired as illegal winnings.


An alternate version of the charge declares they cheated at gambling by positioning five bets on Mr Hester being scheduled which he was revealed a yellow card for a nasty, leading to them incorrectly obtaining ₤ 13,583.32 in payouts.


The trial, before Sheriff Paul Brown, continues.


Montrose