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 friends to defraud a bookmaker had more than ₤ 2,000 in his bedside drawer, a trial heard.


Elgin City striker Kane Hester was found with the money when his family home was robbed.


He rejects backing himself to get scheduled throughout a match versus Hibs as part of a scheme with three others to defraud Bet365.


Findlay Soutar, Calvin Parrott and Brodie Myres also reject the charge.


In a joint declaration agreed by the Crown and defence legal representatives, it was verified that Mr Hester had actually picked up a yellow card throughout the very first half of the Scottish League Cup video game.


It likewise verified that the 3 other implicated had actually carried out a variety of financial 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 accused, all from Montrose, have actually gone on trial.


Suspicious betting patterns


Mr Duncan stated it was agreed as reality that Mr Myres had paid money into Mr Soutar's account and also into an account belonging to Mr Parrott.


He said bets worth countless pounds had been placed on Mr Hester getting booked and the bookie had paid out jackpots at odds of 5-1.


Mr Duncan said it was agreed that combination bets - including Mr Hester getting a yellow card - were likewise placed and won by members of the implicated group.


The Scottish Football Association stepped in to produce an efficiency evaluation of Mr Hester during the match after looking out about suspicious betting patterns on the video game.


The court was shown footage of Hester's home being robbed and the footballer informing officers he knew what they were there for and would take them to the cash.


Hester said: "Do you understand what would be much easier? 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 cash, that's what took place.


"I was scheduled in a game and my pals gave me cash for it - ₤ 2,500."


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


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


The charge the 4 guys got ₤ 17,333.32 in payments from Bet365 in 2019, and that ₤ 13,583.32 of it was acquired as unlawful payouts.


An alternate variation of the charge declares they cheated at gambling by putting five bets on Mr Hester being booked which he was shown a yellow card for a nasty, causing them falsely obtaining ₤ 13,583.32 in profits.


The trial, before Sheriff Paul Brown, continues.


Montrose