A FORMER Wimbledon soccer goalkeeper, Hans Segers, paid £19,000 into a bank shortly after his team was beaten 3-2 by Everton in a vital Premiership relegation match, a court heard yesterday.
The cash was one of a series of payments totalling £104,000 allegedly paid to him by a Far East betting syndicate in return for him throwing games. "It was a match of crucial importance to Everton because it enabled them to stay up in the Premier division," the prosecution counsel, Mr David Calvert Smith, told the jury at Winchester Crown Court.
The prosecutor alleged seven payments were made by Segers - ranging from £6,000 to £20,000 - over a 12-month period straddling two seasons. Segers used a Swiss bank account, named Gloves One, to deposit the money. The payments would follow a defeat or series of defeats, the court heard.
In a list of 19 results shown to the jury, including two cup matches, Wimbledon won only five times.
The Crown claims the games, from October 1993 to November 1994, were the subject of a match rigging scheme by the syndicate.
The syndicate is also alleged to have paid money to the former Liverpool and Southampton goalkeeper, Bruce Grobbelaar, who was confronted by Sun reporters over the allegations. The Sun's report led to the police inquiry.
The prosecution alleges that a Gladiators television presenter, John Fashanu, was a middle man in the betting scheme, which also involved a Malaysian businessman, Mr Heng Suan Lim.
Grobbelaar, Segers, Fashanu and Mr Lim all deny conspiracy to give and accept corrupt payments.
Grobbelaar alone denies a further charge of accepting £2,000 from a former business partner, Mr Christopher Vincent, for improperly influencing or attempting to influence the outcome of a football match or matches.