Snooker: Prosecutors probe Maguire and Burnett

Published on Thursday 15 April 2010 23:20

TWO Scottish snooker players have been referred to prosecutors over betting patterns during a UK Championship match.

Glasgow's Stephen Maguire, 29, and Hamilton's Jamie Burnett, 34, were referred to the procurator fiscal with three other men yesterday.

Strathclyde Police's economic crime unit spent 17 months investigating claims linked to the result of a game between the two Scots in Telford on 14 December last year. The procurator fiscal at Hamilton will now decide whether charges should be brought.

The first-round match, which was subject to investigations by World Snooker and the Gambling Commission, was won 9-3 by Maguire after Burnett failed to pot a black ball that would have reduced his score to 8-4.

Before the match, World Snooker was contacted by bookmakers reporting suspicious betting patterns in favour of a 9-3 scoreline.

The pair were questioned by police in August last year but later released without charge.