Garry O'Connor to stand trial on insurance fraud charges

Scotland striker Garry O'Connor is to stand trial on 24 May on insurance fraud charges.

The Hibernian striker maintained his not guilty plea at a pre-trial hearing at Haddington Sheriff Court on Thursday.

It is alleged he made a fraudulent claim of almost £100,000 after his Ferrari crashed near Tranent in East Lothian.

The car, which was written off, was found abandoned on 14 April 2011.

Mr O'Connor, 28, is alleged to have told Aviva Insurance he was driving his F430 Spider F1 in Gullane on 30 April 2011 when it suffered extensive damage.

However, the footballer has been accused of trying to defraud £93,500 from the insurance company after it was alleged a friend of his, Darren Brock, caused the damage following a collision with a railway bridge two weeks earlier.

Fiscal despute Alison Innes told the Crown she would be calling on "six or seven" witnesses, including employees from Aviva Insurance who will travel from Manchester to attend the trial.