TWO BUSINESSMEN AND A FOOTBALLER SENTENCED TO JAIL FOR MATCH-FIXING

Two businessmen and a footballer who were found guilty of being involved in a plot to fix the results of football matches have been sent to prison.

Chann Sankaran and Krishna Ganeshan were convicted of conspiracy to commit bribery and sentenced to five years.

Former Whitehawk FC defender Michael Boateng was sentenced to 16 months.

Hakeem Adelakun, who also played for the Brighton club, was cleared following the trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

Sentencing, Judge Melbourne Inman QC said professional football and sport played an important part in national life and individual lives.

He said: "Those who make determined attempts to destroy its integrity for personal gain must expect significant prison sentences."

He told Sankaran, 33, of Hougang Avenue, Singapore, he would be liable to deportation after he his sentence, but it would be a matter for the Home Secretary.

Judge Inman told Sankaran and Ganeshan, 44, a British national originally from Sri Lanka, of Hawthorn Road, Hastings, East Sussex, that he was satisfied they were the "controlling minds" at the head of the conspiracy.

He said the pair had come to the UK in November last year for the sole reason of visiting clubs to find players they could corrupt, and had targeted lower division clubs because it was cheaper to bribe players on "modest wages".

The judge also said it was sad to see the football player in the dock.

Boateng, 22, of Davidson Road, Croydon, south London, who was described as a valued church and charity group youth worker, had allowed himself to be quickly drawn in to the scheme, he said.

He said Boateng had tried to recruit one of his oldest friends, Mr Adelakun, who was cleared of any involvement, and said he had been perfectly willing to bring an innocent young man into the scheme.

The judge told Boateng: "It is, sadly, pure greed that allowed you to become involved in what Sankaran and Ganeshan were doing."

A National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation began when the Daily Telegraph presented the agency with evidence from an undercover investigation.

An NCA spokesman said over a seven-day period in November 2013, its surveillance of the men provided enough evidence to secure their convictions, despite the failure of their plot to fix a match between AFC Wimbledon and Dagenham Redbridge.

NCA branch commander Richard Warner said: "This is not sport as a football-loving nation recognises it.

"It is corruption and bribery linked to serious organised crime, and the NCA is determined to stop criminals benefiting from it."

The jury was discharged from reaching a verdict on footballer Moses Swaibu.

Mr Swaibu, 25, of Tooley Street, Bermondsey, south London, had denied a single count of conspiracy to offer, promise or give a financial advantage.