Striker accused of getting booked for scam

A professional footballer has been accused of deliberately getting himself booked as part of a betting scam worth almost £14,000.

It is alleged a fivefigure sum was paid out by bookmakers Bet 365 on Elgin City’s Kane Hester being booked during a Betfred Scottish League Cup game with Hibernian in 2019.

Hester, 25, Findlay Soutar, 24, Calvin Parrott, 26, and Brodie Myers, 27, all deny forming a fraudulent scheme between July 20 and August 2, 2019.

Five separate bets were allegedly placed on former Arbroath striker Hester being booked in the game on July 26, 2019.

Prosecutors allege Hester purposely committed a foul and received a booking after stamping on an opposing player’s calf.

The men allegedly received payments of £17,333.32 from Bet 365.

It is alleged £13,583.32 was fraudulently obtained.

Hester, of Rutland Crescent, Montrose, appeared personally on Tuesday at Dundee Sheriff Court to plead not guilty to the single charge on indictment.

Soutar, of the town’s Renny Crescent, Parrott, of North Street, and Myers, of Barns of Craig Steadings, were not present.

Sheriff Richard MacFarlane fixed a continued first diet for June.

Hibs won the League Cup group match 2-0 with goals by Joe Newell and Flo Kamberi.

Hester played more than 60 times for Arbroath between 2015 and 2019, scoring nine goals.

He left for Albion Rovers before signing for Elgin City in January 2019, where he has proved particularly prolific for the League 2 side.