Elgin City footballer implicated of match betting scams charge

7 March 2023

A Scottish league footballer implicated of hatching a plot with pals to defraud a bookmaker had more than ₤ 2,000 in his bedside drawer, a trial heard.

Elgin City striker Kane Hester was discovered with the cash when his household home was raided.

He denies backing himself to get reserved during a match against Hibs as part of a plan with three others to defraud Bet365.

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

In a joint declaration agreed by the Crown and defence lawyers, it was validated that Mr Hester had actually chosen up a yellow card throughout the yohaig code very first half of the Scottish League Cup game.

It also confirmed that the 3 other accused had actually carried out a variety 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 actually gone on trial.

Suspicious betting patterns

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

He stated bets worth countless pounds had actually been put on Mr Hester getting booked and the bookie had paid out winnings at chances of 5-1.

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

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

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

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

"I've got the cash, it's at home. If I take you home and provide you the cash, that's what occurred.

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

Mr Hester is alleged to have actually outlined before the yohaig code match with three others to position a series of bets on him being scheduled by the referee.

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

The charge alleges the four guys got ₤ 17,333.32 in payments from Bet365 in 2019, and that ₤ 13,583.32 of it was gotten as illegal winnings.

An alternate version of the yohaig code charge alleges they cheated at gambling by positioning 5 bets on Mr Hester being booked and that he was revealed a yellow card for a nasty, causing them falsely getting ₤ 13,583.32 in winnings.

The trial, before Sheriff Paul Brown, continues.

Montrose