Elgin City footballer implicated of match betting fraud charge

7 March 2023

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

Elgin City striker Kane Hester was found with the cash when his family home was raided.

He rejects backing himself to get booked during 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 charge.

In a joint declaration agreed by the Crown and defence attorneys, it was validated that Mr Hester had gotten a yellow card during the yohaig code first half of the Scottish League Cup game.

It also verified that the 3 other accused had undertaken a number 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 yohaig code implicated, all from Montrose, have actually gone on trial.

Suspicious betting patterns

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

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

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

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

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

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

"I was scheduled in a video game and my friends provided me cash for it - ₤ 2,500."

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

the yohaig code court heard ₤ 2,400 was later on found in his bedside drawer.

The charge declares the 4 males received ₤ 17,333.32 in payments from Bet365 in 2019, which ₤ 13,583.32 of it was obtained as unlawful payouts.

An alternate version of the charge alleges they cheated at gambling by positioning five bets on Mr Hester being booked which he was revealed a yellow card for a nasty, causing them wrongly getting ₤ 13,583.32 in earnings.

The trial, before Sheriff Paul Brown, continues.

Montrose