Latest news with #Keatings
Scotsman
2 hours ago
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Crime: Former Hibs and Hearts star facing jail after handling £400k in laundered money
A former Hibs and Hearts star could face jail after being caught by police with £400,000 of laundered money. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The BBC reported that 33-year-old James Keatings, who played for both Hearts and Hibs between 2014 and 2017, was spotted transferring cash between a car and a van in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire in June 2024. Police were responding to a National Crime Agency (NCA) tip-off. Keatings admitted possessing and transferring criminal property at Falkirk Sheriff Court. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He was a member of the Hibernian side which famously won the Scottish Cup in 2016. He started his career at Celtic and went on to play for Dundee United, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Hamilton Academical, as well as the capital's two top flight teams - playing more than 100 games for the Edinburgh sides collectively. He last played for Tranent in 2023. Keatings admitted possessing and transferring criminal property at Falkirk Sherrif Court. Sheriff Maryam Labaki said Keatings had committed an 'insidious crime' and that he must prepare himself for 'every eventuality'. She said: "This is a very significant sum, and it's an insidious crime in many ways. "You must prepare yourself for every eventuality. You have crossed the custody threshold." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Having pulled his white van up alongside a car, Keatings was spotted transferring "two weighty boxes from his van and put them in the rear of the Mercedes," according to police and officers from the NCA. Searches conducted by the NCA officers and police found two boxes containing 78 bundles of notes totalling £390,040. DNA testing confirmed the presence of Keating's finger and palm prints on a number of sections of the boxes and bank notes. His DNA was also found on elastic bands found in the boxes. Defending Keatings, Solicitor Brien Greig, said he was a first offender, a father, and "a working man". Keatings told police at the time of his arrest he was working as a plasterer. Sentencing has been deferred until September 19 for background reports, but Keatings' bail will continue in the meantime.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ex-footballer faces jail for £400,000 criminal cash handover
A former Hibs and Hearts footballer is facing jail after being caught by police with £400,000 of laundered money. James Keatings, 33, was seen transferring boxes of cash from a van in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, in June last year after a tip-off from the National Crime Agency (NCA). Keatings, who was on Hibs' 2016 Scottish Cup-winning side, admitted possessing and transferring criminal property at Falkirk Sheriff Court. The ex-striker came through the Celtic academy and has played for Dundee United, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Hamilton Academical and other Scottish clubs. Sheriff Maryam Labaki said he had committed an "insidious crime" that "crossed the custody threshold". More stories from Glasgow & West Scotland More stories from Scotland The court heard how Keatings had parked his white transit van alongside a Mercedes van on Young Street in Wishaw. Police and officers from the NCA saw him remove "two weighty boxes from his van and put them in the rear of the Mercedes". A later searched of the Mercedes and found two boxes containing 78 bundles of notes totalling £390,040. A quantity of elastic bands, which had Keatings DNA on them, were also discovered in the boxes. The court heard that Keatings' finger and palm prints were found in various locations on the boxes and bank notes. Solicitor Brien Grieg, defending, said Keatings was a first offender, a father, and "a working man". He told police at the time of his arrest he was working as a plasterer. Sheriff Labaki deferred sentence until 19 September for background reports, but continued Keatings' bail in the meantime. She said: "This is a very significant sum, and it's an insidious crime in many ways. "You must prepare yourself for every eventuality. You have crossed the custody threshold."
STV News
20 hours ago
- STV News
Former Premiership footballer faces jail over £400,000 money laundering handover
A former Scottish professional footballer is facing jail after being caught carrying out a £400,000 money laundering handover. James Keatings, 33, transported heavy boxes of crime cash in a white Transit van and told police he had been working as a plasterer. Falkirk Sheriff Court heard that Keatings – once on the books as a forward for clubs including Celtic, Hearts, Hibs, St Johnstone and Dundee United – was arrested earlier this year following a tip off last year to the National Crime Agency about a large dirty cash handover due to take place in a street in Wishaw, Lanarkshire. SNS Group Hibernian XI's James Keatings during a David Gray Testimonial match between Hibernian and Manchester United Select at Easter Road, on October 15, 2023. Prosecutor Alistair McDermid said police and officers from the NCA laid wait on Young Street, Wishaw on June 28 last year. A white Mercedes van arrived and parked. The driver of that van was alone. A few minutes later Keatings appeared driving a white Ford Transit and parked next to the Mercedes. Keatings then 'got out and removed two weighty boxes from his van and put them in the rear of the Mercedes'. Both vans then drove away. The Mercedes, driven by the other man, was then seen to park on Station Road in Dollar, Clackmannanshire. The Mercedes driver got out and went into a house. 'He then left again, got into a third van, this time a black Mercedes, which he drove to High Street, Glasgow, where a woman got in. Mr McDermid said the woman was carrying 'a weighty polythene bag'. The van then drove back to Station Road, Dollar where the driver was arrested. The key to the white Mercedes was in his pocket and it was searched. Inside the white Mercedes van, officers found two office boxes containing 78 bundles of notes, each of about £5,000 – in total £390,040. Also in the boxes were a quantity of elastic bands, which turned out to have Keatings' DNA on them. Keatings' finger and palm prints were found in various locations on the outside of both boxes and on the inside of the second box. His fingerprints were also on some of the banknotes. Keatings, of Wishaw, pleaded guilty to possessing and transferring criminal property – namely the £390,040 in cash – an offence of money laundering. Solicitor Brien Grieg, defending, said Keatings was a first offender, a father, and 'a working man'. He said: 'He understands custody will be at the forefront of the court's consideration.' Sheriff Maryam Labaki deferred sentence until September 19 for background reports. She continued Keatings' bail, but warned him: 'This is a very significant sum, and it's an insidious crime in many ways. 'You must prepare yourself for every eventuality. You have crossed the custody threshold.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Edinburgh Live
20 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
Former Hibs and Hearts starlet faces jail over £40K money laundering plot
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A former Scottish professional footballer is facing jail after being caught carrying out a £400,000 money laundering handover. James Keatings, 33, transported heavy boxes of crime cash in a white Transit van and told police he had been working as a plasterer. Falkirk Sheriff Court heard today that Keatings – once on the books as a forward for clubs including Celtic, Hearts, Hibs, St Johnstone, Dundee United, Hamilton Accies, Raith Rovers, Inverness Caley Thistle, Forfar and Tranent - was arrested earlier this year following a tip off last year to the National Crime Agency about a large dirty cash handover due to take place in a street in Wishaw, Lanarkshire. Prosecutor Alistair McDermid said police and officers from the NCA laid wait in Young Street, Wishaw, and about 2.30pm on June 28th 2024 a white Mercedes van arrived and parked. The driver of that van was alone. A few minutes later Keatings appeared driving a white Ford Transit and parked next to the Mercedes, the Record reports. Keatings then 'got out and removed two weighty boxes from his van and put them in the rear of the Mercedes'. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. Both vans then drove away. The Mercedes, driven by the other man, was then seen to park in a street – Station Road – in Dollar, Clackmannanshire. The Mercedes driver got out and went into a house. He then left again, got into a third van, this time a black Mercedes, which he drove to High Street, Glasgow, where a woman got in. Mr McDermid said the woman was carrying 'a weighty polythene bag'. The van then drove back to Station Road, Dollar where the driver was arrested. The key to the white Mercedes was in his pocket and it was searched. Inside the white Mercedes van, officers found two office boxes containing 78 bundles of notes, each of about £5000 – in total £390,040. Also in the boxes were a quantity of elastic bands, which turned out to have Keatings' DNA on them. Keatings' finger and palm prints were found in various locations on the outside of both boxes and on the inside of the second box. His finger prints were also on some of the bank notes. Sheriff Maryam Labaki deferred sentence until September 19th for background reports. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox She continued Keatings' bail, but warned him: 'This is a very significant sum, and it's an insidious crime in many ways. You must prepare yourself for every eventuality. You have crossed the custody threshold.' Outside court, Keatings said to a reporter: 'I'm not going to talk to you.'
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Ex-SPFL star who started his career at Celtic and won the Scottish Cup busted transporting £400k of dirty cash
CRIME CASH RAP Ex-SPFL star who started his career at Celtic and won the Scottish Cup busted transporting £400k of dirty cash Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A FORMER Scottish professional footballer is facing jail after being caught carrying out a £400,000 money laundering handover. James Keatings, 33, transported heavy boxes of crime cash in a white Transit van and told police he had been working as a plasterer. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 2 James Keatings during his time playing for Hibs Credit: Kenny Ramsay - The Sun Glasgow Falkirk Sheriff Court heard today that Keatings – - was arrested earlier this year following a tip off to the National Crime Agency about a large dirty cash handover due to take place in a street in Wishaw, Lanarkshire. Prosecutor Alistair McDermid said police and officers from the NCA laid wait in Young Street, Wishaw, and about 2.30pm on June 28th 2024 a white Mercedes van arrived and parked. The driver of that van was alone. A few minutes later Keatings appeared driving a white Ford Transit and parked next to the Mercedes. Keatings - who won the Scottish Cup with Hibs in 2016 - then 'got out and removed two weighty boxes from his van and put them in the rear of the Mercedes'. Both vans then drove away. The Mercedes, driven by the other man, was then seen to park in a street – Station Road – in Dollar, Clackmannanshire. The Mercedes driver got out and went into a house. He then left again, got into a third van, this time a black Mercedes, which he drove to High Street, Glasgow, where a woman got in. Mr McDermid said the woman was carrying 'a weighty polythene bag'. The van then drove back to Station Road, Dollar where the driver was arrested. The key to the white Mercedes was in his pocket and it was searched. Inside the white Mercedes van, officers found two office boxes containing 78 bundles of notes which amounted to £390,040. Also in the boxes were a quantity of elastic bands, which turned out to have Keatings' DNA on them. Keatings' finger and palm prints were found in various locations on the outside of both boxes and on the inside of the second box. His finger prints were also on some of the bank notes. Keatings, of Ryde Road, Wishaw, pleaded guilty today to possessing and transferring criminal property – namely the £390,040 in cash – an offence of money laundering. Solicitor Brien Grieg, defending, said Keatings was a first offender, a father, and 'a working man'. Ex-Arsenal star Jay Emmanuel-Thomas charged with importing drugs after £600,000 worth of cannabis seized at airport He said: 'He understands custody will be at the forefront of the court's consideration.' Sheriff Maryam Labaki deferred sentence until September 19th for background reports. She continued Keatings' bail, but warned him: 'This is a very significant sum, and it's an insidious crime in many ways. 'You must prepare yourself for every eventuality. You have crossed the custody threshold.' Outside court, Keatings said to a reporter, 'I'm not going to talk to you.' Keatings was once on the books as a forward for clubs including Celtic, Hearts, Hibs, St Johnstone, Dundee United, Hamilton Accies, Raith Rovers, Inverness Caley Thistle, Forfar and Tranent -
