The trial of West Ham star Lucas Paqueta was deemed so significant that the FA set three weeks aside to hear it.
West Ham star Lucas Paqueta’s spot-fixing trial began on Monday, as Hammers News first revealed it would last week.
The Brazilian’s hearing is expected to last the full three weeks, which will make it one of the longest court proceedings in the FA’s history.
West Ham’s internationals have jetted off around the globe to play for their countries.
Not Paqueta, though. The Brazil midfielder remained in London for what will be the two or three weeks that decide the fate of his career.
West Ham’s Paqueta faces biggest two weeks of his career
The FA want West Ham playmaker Paqueta banned for life if he is found guilty of spot-fixing by deliberately receiving yellow cards to influence the betting market.
Paqueta is facing six charges and West Ham have been worried, particularly given how the trial is decided by a three-person independent panel.
The biggest concern of the Hammers board has centred around the standard of proof for the independent three-person panel being based on a “balance of probabilities”.
That is the case in all civil law cases like the one Paqueta is facing.
It is very different to the more rigorous “beyond a reasonable doubt” threshold which is applied in criminal proceedings.
Solhekol drops stunning update on Paqueta’s trial after week one
It essentially means the FA need only to prove it is more likely than not that Paqueta engaged in spot-fixing by deliberately being booked to influence betting markets during those West Ham matches.
Under FA rules, the civil standard of ‘balance of probabilities’ is used by their Regulatory Commissions in cases.
It has also concerned West Ham that the FA are pushing for a lifetime ban after spending many months gathering and studying evidence.
On that basis – and the fact three weeks have been set aside for the case to be heard – many might assume the evidence would be damning and impossible to dispute.
Bet details emerge after first week of Paqueta case
Well now Kaveh Solhekol has dropped a stunning update on West Ham star Paqueta’s trial after week one.
West Ham’s owners said they are powerless to help Paqueta and as a result have not been sending a club representative to the hearing each day.
The Hammers board also pointed out it is ‘Paqueta’s style’ and that ‘he can’t help himself’ when making silly challenges which earn him bookings.
It was revealed overnight that ex Hammers boss David Moyes will verify Paqueta’s defence that he asked not to play in a game in which he picked up one of the bookings on his charge sheet.
The reason being he did not want to jeopardise a move to Man City that was in the offing but ultimately collapsed when news of the allegations arose in August 2023.
Now more staggering detail has emerged from the hearing.
‘Unusually large’ bet linked to Paqueta booking was just £30
There has been much speculation – and inaccurate reporting – around the bets linked to the accusations.
Now Sky Sports’ chief reporter Solhekol has revealed information read out in court that may leave some stunned.
Chiefly that one of the bets flagged as “unusually large” was for just £30.
Meanwhile another was for just £7.
Solhekol says the bets in question are believed to have been placed by the friends and family of West Ham’s £51m record signing.
There were some 60 bets in total for relatively small stakes, Solhekol states.
Week one of the trial has heard that half of the suspicious bets at the heart of the case were under £50, with most under £100.
“His defence will argue that he has a poor disciplinary record that gamblers were aware of and that is why bets were placed on him to receive yellow cards,” Solhekol said.
“Since he moved to West Ham in August 2022, he has received 22 yellow cards – more than anyone else at the club. In the same period, only five Premier League players have been shown more yellow cards.”
The case will resume on Monday.
