A Montrose man accused of conspiring in a spot-fixing plot told a court betting companies “live off people’s misery” and his account had been tampered with because he was “winning”.
Brodie Myres, 29, a self-professed “professional gambler” told Dundee Sheriff Court he had earned between £20-30,000 a year, on top of his salary as a research and development engineer, when he was a pro-punter.
Myres, professional footballer Kane Hester, Calvin Parrot and Findlay Soutar deny cheating bookmakers Bet365 of more than £12,000 during a game between Elgin City and Hibernian in the Betfred cup in July 2019.
It is alleged striker Hester got deliberately booked after half an hour to fulfil bets.
Used friend’s betting account
Soutar, 26, told the court he had not actually placed any of his, or others, money into the Bet365 account but had instead shared his log-in details with Myres.
Myres, 29, admitted he had used Soutar’s account because the company had limited his activities.
He denied contacting Hester to arrange for the foul to take place.
The large bets – ranging from £1000 to £2000 each – were placed before kick-off.
Asked why he used Soutar’s account, Myres explained: “My account was suspended.
“They are not interested in having winners.
“They are only interested in profiting from losers.
“They did it to stop me winning.
“They do not want to play fair.
“They live off peoples’ misery.
“Gambling leads to people losing their homes.”
The court had earlier been shown footage of a warrant execution at Soutar’s home in August 2019.
He told police while under caution and on tape, the Bet365 account used was his but the money was not and had been transferred.
The Crown case closed at Dundee Sheriff Court on Thursday morning, the third day of the trial.
Hester, 27, denies deliberately obtaining a yellow card during at Borough Briggs in July 2019.
Soutar, Myres and 28-year-old Calvin Parrot are alleged to have placed bets with Bet 365, knowing he would be booked, thereby obtaining money unlawfully.
During the trial elite Scottish referee Willie Collum, who officiated the match, said he saw no evidence Hester had intentionally got himself booked.
During a police raid at former Arbroath striker Hester’s house, the striker admitted he had been given £2,400 in cash following the game by the co-accused.
He was recorded on police body-cam saying he “did not want to muck them about” before taking them to the money.
He admitted he knew about his friends’ bets but did not deliberately get booked to fulfil them.
The charges denied
The charge alleges the four men received £17,333.32 in payments from Bet365 in 2019, and that £13,583.32 of it was obtained as unlawful winnings.
An alternate version of the charge alleges they cheated at gambling by placing five bets on Hester being booked and that he was shown a yellow card for a foul, leading to them falsely obtaining £13,583.32 in winnings.
All four, from Montrose, deny the allegations.
The trial before Sheriff Paul Brown continues.