Wayne Rooney told: 'Your dad’s been nicked’ - England star stunned at £100,000 bet swoop

Posted Friday, October 07, 2011 by The Sun

Wayne Rooney told: 'Your dad’s been nicked’ - England star stunned at £100,000 bet swoop
Suspect ... Wayne Rooney's uncle Richie

"He never forgets it was their sacrifices and time that helped him to fulfil his footballing talent."

The arrests follow a nine-month investigation by police in Liverpool and Scotland, carried out in co-operation with the Gambling Commission.

Cops swooped on several addresses and Wayne Snr was held at the home — bought by Rooney in December 2008 — he shares with wife Jeanette in the plush West Derby area of Liverpool.

Richie, who runs a boxing club, was arrested after cops in two vans arrived at his home in Norris Green, Liverpool, just after 7am.

Liverpool-born Jennings, 26, was collared at his Glasgow home.

He was sent off in the crucial game for haranguing the ref — his second bookable offence — after a penalty appeal was rejected. But he insists he has done nothing wrong.

The six others arrested — aged 22, 26, 29, 31, 36 and 68 — were held in Liverpool. It is understood a number of the suspect bets were placed in the Merseyside area.

All nine men were quizzed before being freed on bail until January while inquiries continue.

Rooney's dad and uncle were both questioned for several hours.

Several bookmakers stopped taking bets on a sending-off in the Motherwell match amid concerns about the growing amount of cash being wagered on the possibility.

Others refused to pay out on bets they had accepted.

One punter opened a new account in Liverpool to stake £500 at odds of 10/1, offering potential returns of £5,000. It is believed a flurry of smaller bets was also placed in the hope the alleged sting would go unnoticed by bookies.

But word of it was circulating as far south as London and the Home Counties three days BEFORE the kick-off.

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