Craig Whyte in Court over Rangers Purchase

Former Rangers owner Craig Whyte has appeared in court accused of plotting a fraudulent takeover of the Ibrox club. Whyte was in the dock at Glasgow Sheriff Court 24 hours after arriving back in the UK having been detained in Mexico. The 43 year-old faced a string of allegations during a private hearing in courtroom number three. These included claims he funded a controlling share in Rangers by selling off season tickets - after pretending to then chairman Sir David Murray he had cash of his own. It is also alleged a failure to stump up for outstanding VAT and National Insurance payments plunged Rangers into administration. Whyte made no plea or declaration to a charge of being involved in a two-year fraudulent scheme and a second allegation under the Companies Act. His lawyer Paul Kavanagh confirmed Whyte had been granted bail by Sheriff Andrew Normand following the 45 minute judicial examination hearing. No further court date was set. The fraud charge Whyte faces spans January 2010 and February 2012. Whyte took control of Rangers in May 2011. Legal papers claim Whyte pretended to Sir David Murray and the board of directors that he had "sufficient funds to acquire controlling shareholding" in Rangers. This is said to have "induced" the board to agree to the sale to Whyte. Whyte is then accused of pretending he would provide £5m to buy players, that he would fork out £2.8m for a tax liability and use £1.7m to settle "agreed capital expenditure". Other allegations listed in the charge include an accusation that Whyte was part of a claim to the Ticketus firm that David Murray was aware the purchase was being funded by selling season tickets. Ticketus are said to have then entered into an agreement to acquire three years of season tickets. It is further alleged Whyte pretended to the SFA that he had not been disqualified from being a director leading them to believe he was a "fit and proper person" to take control of a club. The charge concludes that Whyte got the shareholding by fraud and that he failed to provide contracted funds for the "continued operation" of the club - witholding payment of VAT, PAYE and NI contributions from HMRC. It is said this caused the club to enter into administration. The second charge under the Companies Act is over a number of days in May 2011. It is claimed funds from an agreement with Ticketus were used to "to meet obligations as purchaser of the club" - in particular £18.2m was paid to Lloyds Bank. The charge also states funding of the "acquisition of the controlling shareholding" was made by "selling an asset of the club" - the income from the sale of season tickets." Whyte's was in court after four other men appeared in the dock in connection with the case. David Whitehouse (49), Paul Clark 50), David Grier (53) and Gary Withey (50) also faced a charge of being involved in a fraudulent scheme. Withey also faced an allegation under the Companies Act Grier, Whitehouse and Clark faced an allegation of attempt to pervert the course of justice. The three were employees of Duff & Phelps, the company which carried out the administration of Rangers.??Withey worked for Whyte's London law firm Collyer Bristow before he took on a post with Rangers. The four made no plea during their hearing and were baled pending a future court date.

Whyte later left from the front door of the court building around 4.40pm amid chaotic scenes. Whyte - sporting a goatee beard and a slick back hair - made no comment as police officers ushered him through a large crowd of reporters and cameramen. A number of angry fans had also turned up outside and yelled abuse as Whyte left in a waiting car. It also emerged after the hearing that one of Whyte's bail conditions is to surrender his passport.