Elgin City footballer implicated of match betting scams charge

7 March 2023

A Scottish league footballer implicated of hatching a plot with friends 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 family 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 also deny the charge.

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

It also validated that the yohaig code three other implicated had actually undertaken a number 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 gone on trial.

Suspicious wagering patterns

Mr Duncan stated it was agreed as fact 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 thousands of pounds had actually been put on Mr Hester getting scheduled and the bookie had paid winnings at chances of 5-1.

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

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

The court was shown video footage of Hester's home being raided and the footballer informing officers he understood what they were there for and would take them to the cash.

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

"I have actually got the money, it's at home. If I take you home and bet9ja's welcome offer you the money, that's what took place.

"I was reserved in a video game and my buddies gave me cash for it - ₤ 2,500."

Mr Hester is declared to have plotted before the match with 3 others to place a series of bets on him being scheduled by the referee.

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

The charge declares the 4 men got ₤ 17,333.32 in payments from Bet365 in 2019, and that ₤ 13,583.32 of it was obtained as illegal earnings.

An alternate version of the charge declares they cheated at gaming by positioning five bets on Mr Hester being reserved which he was revealed a yellow card for a nasty, leading to them incorrectly obtaining ₤ 13,583.32 in payouts.

The trial, before Sheriff Paul Brown, continues.

Montrose