Four accused appear in court over match fixing allegations

Footballers Michael Boateng and Hakeem Adelakun, both 22, and alleged co-conspirators Chann Sankaran and Krishna Sanjey Ganeshan are accused of trying to defraud bookmakers. The quartet appeared at Birmingham Crown Court for a brief preliminary hearing.

It is alleged that the players, who have been sacked by sixth-tier club Whitehawk FC, and Sankaran and Ganeshan, both of whom hail from Singapore, conspired to influence the results of football matches.

The offences are alleged to have taken place in November this year. The two footballers have been released on bail, while Sankaran and Ganeshan remain in custody. In a separate investigation, six people, including Blackburn Rovers' DJ Campbell, have been arrested as part of an investigation into alleged spot fixing.