Former football boss denies fraud

The former Stranraer FC chairman has denied the charges

The former chairman of Scottish division three side Stranraer has denied six charges of embezzlement.

James Bark, 58, of the town's Greenfield Row, will go on trial at Kirkcudbright Sheriff Court next month.

He denied all the charges - involving a total of more than £3,000 - when he appeared before Sheriff Kenneth Hogg.

Mr Bark's trial has been moved from Stranraer Sheriff Court to Kirkcudbright - almost 50 miles away - at the Crown's request.

Four of the charges allege that he embezzled various sums from the club's lottery.

A fifth charge accuses him of pretending to committee members that a Hugh Brown, of Paisley, had won the Stranraer Football Club anniversary draw in 2006.

He denies entering a ticket after the draw and defrauding the club of £1,000.

David McCurdy, 52, of Bonhill Road, Dumbarton, denies one charge of pretending to be Hugh Brown and claiming he had been paid the £1,000 by Mr Bark.

Mr Bark faces a sixth charge of embezzlement over petrol obtained from a local garage.