Match-fixing: three in court

THREE MEN appeared in court yesterday charged with conspiracy and criminal damage in connection with an alleged attempt to fix the result of a Premiership football match by sabotaging the floodlights.

Chee Kew Ong, 49, a manager from Paddington, west London; Wai Yuen Liu, 37, a car salesman from Kensington, west London; and Eng Hwa Lim, 35, an electronic engineer, also from Paddington, were all remanded in custody until 19 February at Horseferry Road magistrates' court.

The men were arrested by officers from Scotland Yard's Organised Crime Squad near Charlton Athletic's ground in south-east London three days ago.

Mr Ong and Mr Lim, both Malaysian nationals, and Mr Liu, from Hong Kong, said nothing during the 20-minute hearing, but listened to proceedings with the help of translation by an interpreter.

It was alleged that each of the men conspired with each other and with other people "to obtain for yourself or others a pecuniary advantage, namely by deception to deny persons the opportunity to win money by betting in that you were able to determine the outcome of a match".

The second charge alleged that the three men "had electrical devices and other various electrical items intending, without lawful excuse to use the same or to cause or permit another to use the same to destroy or damage the electrical supply, concourse and safety lighting belonging to Charlton Athletic Football Club in a way which you knew was likely to endanger human life".