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 pals 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 cash when his family home was raided.


He rejects backing himself to get reserved during a match versus Hibs as part of a plan with 3 others to defraud Bet365.


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


In a joint declaration concurred by the Crown and defence lawyers, it was confirmed that Mr Hester had chosen up a yellow card throughout the very first half of the Cup game.


It also verified that the three other implicated had carried out 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 accused, all from Montrose, have actually gone on trial.


Suspicious betting patterns


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


He said bets worth thousands of pounds had actually been positioned on Mr Hester getting booked and the bookie had actually paid payouts at odds of 5-1.


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


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


The court was revealed video footage of Hester's home being raided and the footballer telling officers he knew what they were there for and would take them to the money.


Hester said: "Do you know what would be easier? I know 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 offer you the money, that's what took place.


"I was booked in a video game and my good friends offered me money for it - ₤ 2,500."


Mr Hester is declared to have actually plotted before the match with 3 others to position 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 guys received ₤ 17,333.32 in payments from Bet365 in 2019, and that ₤ 13,583.32 of it was acquired as illegal earnings.


An alternate variation of the charge declares they cheated at betting by positioning 5 bets on Mr Hester being booked which he was shown a yellow card for a nasty, causing them wrongly acquiring ₤ 13,583.32 in payouts.


The trial, before Sheriff Paul Brown, continues.


Montrose