Four men have been sentenced to between 18 months and four years in prison for fixing English Premiership football matches by sabotaging the floodlights.

The four, who were part of an Asian betting scam, were sentenced at Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court.

Chee Kew Ong, 49, was jailed for four years, and electrical expert Eng Hwa Lim, 35, another Malaysian, for four years. Roger Firth, 49, a security guard at Charlton’s ground, The Valley, in south-east London, received 18 months. All had admitted conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.

Firth was paid £20,000 to let the Malaysians into the ground, but became the key prosecution witness during last week’s trial of Wai Yuen Liu, 38, who received 30 months. Liu had always protested his innocence.

Firth’s defence lawyer, Karen Todner, said after the hearing: “Mr Firth has asked me to express his deep apologies to all those involved in football for his part in this case.

“His apologies especially extend to those supporters, staff and directors of Charlton Athletic Football Club.”

‘Offence and annoyance’

Judge Fabyan Evans told the men: “People who live within the jurisdiction of this court derive much pleasure from following professional sport.

“Any interference by criminal organisations causes great offence and annoyance to the general public.”

Referring to Lim and Ong, he said: “You were partners in a highly professional, technical criminal operation for which no doubt you were both going to be paid a substantial financial reward, regardless of whether that device was used or not.”

He said Liu’s role in the plot remained a “slight mystery” after he drove the two Malaysians to the ground on 10 February this year, when they were all arrested.

“There is no evidence to indicate that you were more than a henchman who was prepared to assist, no doubt for substantial reward,” the judge said.

Turning to Firth, he said: “You couldn’t resist the temptation of the £20,000 that was offered. You betrayed the trust of the club who had employed you for four years, you tried to involve another employee. You received nothing and threw away a great deal.”

The Malaysians will be deported after they have completed their jail terms.

The syndicate was behind attempts to fix two other matches, the first at a West Ham and Crystal Palace game at Upton Park, and the second at Selhurst Park, where Wimbledon were playing Arsenal.

In both matches the lights failed when the scores were level.

Remote-controlled device

The scam was discovered when two Malaysians and Liu were caught with a “circuit-breaker”.

They had planned to plant the electrical device to sabotage the floodlighting. It was to be triggered with a remote control unit when the score favoured the syndicate during a fixture at the Valley against Liverpool on 13 February.

Ong had boasted of sabotaging two previous Premiership games, and police later found enough electrical equipment to stall another eight matches.

It also emerged in court that Liu was a convicted fraudster with links to the Triad underworld.

BBC News