Elgin City Footballer Accused Of Match Betting Fraud Charge

7 March 2023
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A Scottish league footballer implicated 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 household home was raided.


He rejects backing himself to get booked throughout 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 agreed by the Crown and defence attorneys, it was confirmed that Mr Hester had gotten a yellow card during the very first half of the Scottish League Cup video game.


It also confirmed that the 3 other accused had actually undertaken a variety of monetary transactions in the hours before the match in July 2019.


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


Suspicious wagering patterns


Mr Duncan said it was agreed as reality that Mr Myres had actually paid money into Mr Soutar's account and also into an account coming from Mr Parrott.


He stated bets worth countless pounds had actually been placed on Mr Hester getting reserved and the bookmaker had actually paid out earnings at odds of 5-1.


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


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


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


Hester said: "Do you understand what would be simpler? I understand what you are speaking 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 booked in a game and my good friends offered me money for it - ₤ 2,500."


Mr Hester is alleged to have before the match with three others to place a series of bets on him being booked by the referee.


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


The charge declares the 4 men received ₤ 17,333.32 in payments from Bet365 in 2019, which ₤ 13,583.32 of it was obtained as illegal payouts.


An alternate version of the charge declares they cheated at gaming by positioning five bets on Mr Hester being scheduled and that he was revealed a yellow card for a nasty, resulting in them falsely obtaining ₤ 13,583.32 in profits.


The trial, before Sheriff Paul Brown, continues.


Montrose