A former Scottish Premiership footballer has been accused of ‘cheating at gambling’, with a court trial to take place later this month.
Keaghan Jacobs, who has played for Livingston for most of his career, stands accused of deliberately getting booked in a game against Celtic back in 2019.
And if found guilty, he could face a jail term of up to two years as part of a range of sanctions available to the courts.
In the Book
Jacobs, a combative midfielder who now plays for Gala Fairydean Rovers, was in his pomp when turning out for Livi during the 2019/20 season.
❓| #WednesdayWisdom time – so let’s see some twitter questions for @keagsojac7 between now and 5pm using the hashtag #AskKeags and we’ll put the best ones to him and tweet out his answers later tonight.
Go, go, go… pic.twitter.com/G4FzL3GAcA
— Livingston Football Club (@LiviFCOfficial) April 1, 2020
In a game against Celtic in October 2019, he picked up a yellow card after a clear foul on Hoops winger Jonny Hayes in the 95th minute of a 0-2 defeat for his side.
At the time, no further action was taken, but it’s thought that new evidence has come to light that has seen Jacobs charged with cheating at gambling – or having ‘acted in a manner whereby he would receive a yellow card for the purpose of enabling or assisting others to cheat at gambling.’
Another individual, Conan McDiarmid, was alleged to have placed a series of bets on the midfielder ‘in the knowledge that it had been arranged that Jacobs would act in a manner whereby he would receive a yellow card during the match’, court papers read. He’s also been charged with arranging for others to place similar bets, too.
The pair were called to Edinburgh Sheriff Court for a preliminary hearing last week, with a decision taken to proceed with the case against Jacobs, who did not attend, later in June. McDiarmid entered a plea of not guilty via his lawyer and will be sent to trial later in 2025.
This isn’t the first time that Jacobs has made headlines. Back in April 2010, he played for Livingston in a game alongside his three triplet brothers: Devon, Kyle and Sheldon. That’s thought to be the only time in history that four siblings have played in the same team in a professional contest.
Between the Cheats
Jacobs and McDiarmid have been charged as per Section 42 (1A) of the 2005 Gambling Act.
According to that statute, the definition of cheating at gambling is relevant if ‘the offence is committed by both cheating directly, or by doing something for the purpose of assisting or enabling another person to cheat.’
“Cheating may include actions that involve actual or attempted deception or interference with the processes involved in the conduct of gambling, or with any other game, race or other event or process to which gambling relates,” the legislation continues.
If found guilty via indictment, possible sanctions range from sizable fines to prison terms not exceeding two years.
It’s a crime that made the headlines in the wake of the UK General Election back in 2024. A number of politicians and political staff were accused of cheating after betting on the date of the election, which was not known publicly at the time that the wagers were struck.
However, it’s thought that those involved could have known of the date through their ties to the then Conservative government.
In April, 15 people were charged with criminal offences relating to the case. They will appear at Windsor Magistrates Court next Friday to answer charges of alleged cheating.
Meanwhile, West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta is awaiting the outcome of his ‘cheating’ court case.
He was accused of picking up a series of yellow cards in a deliberate gambling scam during Premier League games in 2022 and 2023. The Football Asscoaition opened an investigation into Paqueta’s bookings in August 2024, before formally charging him with alleged cheating in May of last year.
The Brazilian finally appeared in court earlier this year, with the case set to be reconvened after a hiatus this summer.
Paqueta, who has been allowed to continue playing for West Ham throughout, is said to have ‘suffered mentally and physically’ over the course of the case, according to Hammers boss Graham Potter.
The 27-year-old broke down in tears when booked against Tottenham in May; an emotional Paqueta was almost immediately substituted by Potter.
His wife, Maria Fournier, has described the situation as a ‘nightmare’ for her husband. “We’ve been living this nightmare for two years and he’s always strong… he’s always had it in his head that he would only defend himself at the right time and place.”