Elgin City footballer implicated of match wagering fraud 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 discovered with the money when his household home was robbed.

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

Findlay Soutar, Calvin Parrott and Brodie Myres likewise reject the charge.

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

It likewise verified that the yohaig code 3 other implicated had actually undertaken a number of monetary deals in the hours before the match in July 2019.

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

Suspicious betting patterns

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

He said bets worth thousands of pounds had actually been placed on Mr Hester getting scheduled and the bookie had paid out jackpots at odds of 5-1.

Mr Duncan stated it was agreed 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 review of Mr Hester throughout the match after being alerted about suspicious wagering patterns on the yohaig code video game.

the yohaig code court was revealed 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 cash.

Hester stated: "Do you understand what would be much easier? I know what you are discussing. 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 money, that's what took place.

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

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

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

The charge declares the four men got ₤ 17,333.32 in payments from Bet365 in 2019, which ₤ 13,583.32 of it was acquired as unlawful jackpots.

An alternate version of the charge declares they cheated at gaming by placing 5 bets on Mr Hester being reserved and that he was revealed a yellow card for a foul, causing them wrongly getting ₤ 13,583.32 in payouts.

The trial, before Sheriff Paul Brown, continues.

Montrose