7 March 2023
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A Scottish league footballer accused of hatching a plot with good 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 money when his household home was robbed.
He rejects backing himself to get reserved 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 charge.
In a joint declaration concurred by the Crown and defence lawyers, it was validated that Mr Hester had actually gotten a yellow card throughout the first half of the Scottish League Cup game.
It also confirmed that the three other accused had carried out a variety of financial transactions in the hours before the match in July 2019.
Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan read the declaration to jurors at Court where the implicated, all from Montrose, have actually gone on trial.
Suspicious wagering patterns
Mr Duncan said it was agreed as fact that Mr Myres had actually paid money into Mr Soutar's account and also into an account coming from Mr Parrott.
He said bets worth countless pounds had actually been placed on Mr Hester getting booked and the bookie had paid winnings at odds of 5-1.
Mr Duncan stated it was agreed that combination bets - including Mr Hester getting a yellow card - were likewise positioned and won by members of the implicated group.
The Scottish Football Association stepped in to produce a performance review of Mr Hester during the match after being informed about suspicious wagering patterns on the game.
The court was shown video 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 said: "Do you know what would be much easier? I know what you are speaking about. There's no point mucking you about.
"I have actually got the money, it's at home. If I take you home and provide you the cash, that's what occurred.
"I was scheduled in a video game and my pals provided me cash for it - ₤ 2,500."
Mr Hester is declared to have actually plotted before the match with 3 others to position a series of bets on him being reserved by the referee.
The court heard ₤ 2,400 was later on discovered in his bedside drawer.
The charge declares the 4 guys got ₤ 17,333.32 in payments from Bet365 in 2019, and that ₤ 13,583.32 of it was obtained as illegal profits.
An alternate variation of the charge declares they cheated at betting by positioning 5 bets on Mr Hester being booked which he was shown a yellow card for a foul, leading to them incorrectly acquiring ₤ 13,583.32 in profits.
The trial, before Sheriff Paul Brown, continues.
Montrose