Elgin City footballer accused of match betting fraud charge

7 March 2023

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 money when his family home was raided.

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

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

In a joint statement concurred by the Crown and defence lawyers, it was verified that Mr Hester had actually picked up a yellow card during the very first half of the Scottish League Cup game.

It likewise verified that the 3 other implicated had actually undertaken a variety of monetary transactions in the hours before the match in July 2019.

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

Suspicious wagering patterns

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

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

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

the yohaig code Scottish Football Association stepped in to produce a performance review of Mr Hester during the match after looking out about suspicious wagering patterns on the video game.

The court was shown video 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 money.

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

"I've got the yohaig code money, it's at home. If I take you home and give you the cash, that's what took place.

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

Mr Hester is declared to have plotted before the match with 3 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 4 males got ₤ 17,333.32 in payments from Bet365 in 2019, and that ₤ 13,583.32 of it was obtained as unlawful jackpots.

An alternate variation of the charge declares they cheated at betting by putting 5 bets on Mr Hester being booked which he was revealed a yellow card for a foul, causing them incorrectly obtaining ₤ 13,583.32 in earnings.

The trial, before Sheriff Paul Brown, continues.

Montrose