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 buddies to defraud a bookie had more than ₤ 2,000 in his bedside drawer, a trial heard.
Elgin City striker Kane Hester was found with the cash when his family home was raided.
He denies backing himself to get reserved throughout a match versus Hibs as part of a plan with three others to defraud Bet365.
Findlay Soutar, Calvin Parrott and Brodie Myres also reject the charge.
In a joint statement concurred by the Crown and defence lawyers, it was verified that Mr Hester had actually chosen up a yellow card throughout the first half of the Scottish League Cup game.
It also confirmed that the 3 other accused had carried out a number of financial deals in the hours before the match in July 2019.
Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan checked out the declaration to jurors at Dundee Sheriff Court where the implicated, all from Montrose, have gone on trial.
Suspicious betting patterns
Mr Duncan said it was agreed as reality that Mr Myres had actually paid money into Mr Soutar's account and likewise into an account belonging to Mr Parrott.
He said bets worth countless pounds had been put on Mr Hester getting reserved and the bookmaker had actually paid out winnings at odds 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 during the match after looking out about suspicious betting on the game.
The court was revealed footage of Hester's home being robbed 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 much easier? I know what you are speaking about. There's no point mucking you about.
"I've got the cash, it's at home. If I take you home and give you the money, that's what took place.
"I was booked in a game and my good friends offered me money for it - ₤ 2,500."
Mr Hester is alleged to have actually outlined before the match with three others to put a series of bets on him being booked by the referee.
The court heard ₤ 2,400 was later on discovered in his bedside drawer.
The charge declares the 4 males received ₤ 17,333.32 in payments from Bet365 in 2019, and that ₤ 13,583.32 of it was gotten as illegal earnings.
An alternate version of the charge declares they cheated at gaming by putting 5 bets on Mr Hester being reserved which he was shown a yellow card for a foul, causing them incorrectly obtaining ₤ 13,583.32 in payouts.
The trial, before Sheriff Paul Brown, continues.
Montrose