Elgin City footballer accused of match wagering fraud charge

7 March 2023

A Scottish league footballer implicated of hatching a plot with buddies 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 household home was raided.

He denies backing himself to get reserved during a match versus Hibs as part of a scheme with 3 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 attorneys, it was confirmed that Mr Hester had actually gotten a yellow card throughout the first half of the Scottish League Cup video game.

It likewise verified that the 3 other accused had carried out a variety of monetary deals 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 betting patterns

Mr Duncan said it was agreed as fact that Mr Myres had paid money into Mr Soutar's account and likewise into an account belonging to Mr Parrott.

He stated bets worth thousands of pounds had been put on Mr Hester getting reserved and the bookie had actually paid earnings at chances of 5-1.

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

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

The court was revealed video 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 understand what you are talking about. There's no point mucking you about.

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

"I was reserved in a game and my good friends gave me cash for it - ₤ 2,500."

Mr Hester is declared to have plotted before the match with three others to position 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 alleges the four males received ₤ 17,333.32 in payments from Bet365 in 2019, and that ₤ 13,583.32 of it was acquired as unlawful earnings.

An alternate version of the charge declares they cheated at betting by putting 5 bets on Mr Hester being booked and that he was revealed a yellow card for a foul, leading to them wrongly getting ₤ 13,583.32 in earnings.

The trial, before Sheriff Paul Brown, continues.

Montrose