Elgin City footballer implicated of match betting scams charge

7 March 2023

A Scottish league footballer implicated 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 household home was raided.

He rejects backing himself to get booked throughout a match against Hibs as part of a plan with 3 others to defraud Bet365.

Findlay Soutar, Calvin Parrott and Brodie Myres likewise deny the yohaig code charge.

In a joint statement concurred by the Crown and defence legal representatives, it was validated that Mr Hester had actually chosen up a yellow card during the first half of the Scottish League Cup video game.

It likewise verified that the 3 other accused had undertaken a variety of financial deals in the hours before the match in July 2019.

Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan checked out the yohaig code statement to jurors at Dundee Sheriff Court where the implicated, all from Montrose, have gone on trial.

Suspicious wagering patterns

Mr Duncan stated it was concurred as truth that Mr Myres had paid cash into Mr Soutar's account and also into an account coming from Mr Parrott.

He said bets worth countless pounds had been put on Mr Hester getting scheduled and the bookmaker had paid profits at chances of 5-1.

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

The Scottish Football Association actioned in to produce an efficiency review of Mr Hester during the match after being informed about suspicious wagering patterns on the game.

The court was shown 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 cash.

Hester said: "Do you understand what would be simpler? I know what you are talking about. There's no point mucking you about.

"I have actually got the cash, it's at home. If I take you home and provide you the cash, that's what took place.

"I was booked in a game and my friends provided 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 found 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 obtained as unlawful profits.

An alternate variation of the charge alleges they cheated at gambling by placing 5 bets on Mr Hester being booked and that he was shown a yellow card for a nasty, resulting in them incorrectly getting ₤ 13,583.32 in profits.

The trial, before Sheriff Paul Brown, continues.

Montrose