- Clayton Lewis was recorded in a police holding cell
- Midfielder admitted his guilt in A-League betting saga
- Confronted court docket alongside ex-Bulls teammate Kearyn Baccus
A former A-League participant admitted to intentionally incomes a yellow card ‘to earn just a little little bit of coin’ throughout a covertly recorded dialog in a police cell, a court docket has heard.
Clayton Lewis, fellow midfielder Kearyn Baccus and a 3rd participant have been accused of manipulating yellow playing cards throughout matches in 2023 and 2024.
The opposite footballer, 33, is but to enter pleas to 9 prices.
Baccus, 33, and Lewis, 27, swapped soccer jerseys for crisp shirts as they confronted a Sydney Native Court docket this week to plead responsible to participating in conduct that corrupts the betting end result of an occasion.
A second cost of taking part in a prison group was withdrawn for each midfielders, who will return to court docket in September for sentencing.
They agreed they’d been paid $10,000 every by a teammate to intentionally earn the referee-issued disciplinary cautions for foul play throughout a match in December 2023.
A former A-League participant admitted to intentionally incomes a yellow card ‘to earn just a little little bit of coin’ throughout a covertly recorded dialog in a police cell, a court docket has heard (pictured, ex- Macarthur Bulls star Clayton Lewis)
Fellow Macarthur Bulls midfielder Kearyn Baccus additionally confronted court docket this week for his function within the scandal that rocked the A-League
In accordance with the info agreed by each his former teammates, the third participant orchestrated 50 ‘suspicious’ bets positioned on the Macarthur FC recreation in opposition to Sydney FC by worldwide wagering platform Betplay.
The wagers have been all positioned on the similar time earlier than the match began, and all concerned precisely two bets of equal quantities predicting the identical end result.
Throughout the recreation at Allianz Stadium, the alleged ringleader earned the primary of the group’s 4 yellow playing cards for delaying the beginning of play by kicking the ball away after the referee blew the whistle.
Twenty minutes later, Lewis acquired the identical warning for unsporting behaviour after he forcefully pushed a Sky Blues participant within the chest.
Baccus attracted one other rebuke for tackling an opponent to the bottom from behind in the direction of the tip of the sport.
The profitable bets resulted in a payout of greater than $200,000 and induced the wagering operator a lack of an estimated $167,387, in accordance with the info.
There isn’t a proof both Baccus or Lewis had any involvement in putting the bets, however they agreed they have been each paid $10,000 after the match.
Lewis was paid in three instalments, however Baccus devised a extra elaborate rationalization, telling his former teammate to explain it as a automobile cost for a Volkswagen Golf.
‘If anybody asks, you (are) shopping for a automobile off me,’ he stated in WhatsApp messages quoted within the info.
After his arrest, Baccus advised police his teammate had not but collected the automobile he bought him – whereas sustaining he solely acquired yellow playing cards for taking part in aggressively or in service of the group.
Lewis, in the meantime, was put in a holding cell after his arrest and confessed to the opposite occupant that he intentionally solicited a yellow card ‘to earn just a little little bit of coin.’
The dialog was recorded with a surveillance machine.
Lewis was recruited to the betting corruption scheme as a result of he was recognized to be a gambler and thus seen as ‘influenceable’, in accordance with the info.
The trio have been suspended by Macarthur FC following their arrests, with the third participant set to face court docket in August.
