After an investigation into betting patterns during a Scottish Premiership game between Dundee and Hearts on December 18, 2021, Leigh Griffiths is free.
Following an examination into gambling on the Scottish Premiership, Leigh Griffiths and Paul McGowan were found not to have been involved in any illegal activities.
When Police Scotland began looking into allegations of gambling, the former Hibs player was taken into custody; however, both players were initially freed without facing any charges.
According to the Daily Record, during a match between Dundee and Hearts on December 18, 2021, which saw McGowan and Griffiths both booked within four minutes of one another, police were reportedly worried about betting patterns.
However, it has come to light that the inquiry is over and that no further action is being taken more than 14 months after the two men and a third guy were taken into custody.
At the time, McGowan, a midfielder, and Griffiths, a striker, were teammates, and they both started the 2021 Scottish Premiership match. Jamie Walker’s goal in the 75th minute gave Hearts a 1-0 victory.
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After Griffiths quit the team the next month, the authorities decided to look into the match. As a result, on December 1, 2022, over a year after the event, Griffiths, McGowan, and another guy were taken into custody.
At around seven in the morning, police stormed into Griffiths’s £675,000 property in Bothwell, Lanarkshire, and conducted a two-and-a-half-hour raid through the opulent detached villa.
As we previously disclosed, the operation was thought to involve over ten police. The search in the upscale neighborhood was reportedly conducted by three uniformed police officers and eight CID officers.
The residence was for sale at the time, and cars parked outside were also examined, with uniformed officers peeping inside with torches.
The police presence in the tranquil cul-de-sac astonished the neighbors. An informant stated: “Police cars and a van were parked all over the street. They were looking through the cars in the driveway while inside the home.
The inquiry examined a match that occurred between Griffiths and Dundee.
“The police were using torches because it was still dark outside. They weren’t subtle about whatever they were doing, though. It was disorganized. When people left for work, they remained there.
“We believe that when the cops arrived, Griffiths was inside the residence. He had parked his automobile outside.” In addition, Griffiths has 22 caps for Scotland and has played for Livingston, Dundee, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Hibernian, and Falkirk.
The Leith-born player, 33, rose to popularity among Tartan Army supporters after he scored two free kicks in a 2-2 draw with England at Hampden Park in 2017. He currently plays and coaches for Mandurah City FC in Australia.
Originally from Bellshill, Lanarkshire, McGowan was taken into custody at a residence in Airdrie, a nearby town. He moved from St Mirren to the Dark Blues in 2014, and he spent nine great years at Dens Park before departing the team in the summer.
At the time, Dundee FC released a statement via the team website. The statement said: “Dundee Football Club is aware of the ongoing investigation by Police Scotland that was announced this morning in the media.
“The club will support the authorities with their inquiries and will not be making any further statement at this time.” McGowan, 36, currently represents Cove Rangers in League One.
“Police Scotland has concluded its investigation into the alleged gambling incidents within sport and, in consultation with the Procurator Fiscal, there will be no further police action,” a representative for the agency told the Record.
The Record contacted the Scottish Football Association for comment on the probe. “We are aware of action taken by Police Scotland as part of ongoing investigations,” a Scottish Football Association representative stated at the time of their arrests.
“It is vitally important that police investigations are allowed to go through the proper processes and, as such, we are unable to comment on active cases.”
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