Olympic Stadium row in court after alleged Spurs investigators accused of spying on West Ham

Three private investigators have denied posing as senior West Ham United executives to spy on private documents for Tottenham Hotspur.

Richard Michael Forrest, 30, Lee Stewart, 39, and Howard Hill, 58, are accused of fraud by false representation while the two Premier League clubs were battling for control of the Olympic Stadium.

Hill, a senior investigator at accountancy firm PFK, was hired by Spurs to spy on West Ham executives in 2011, it is alleged.

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He is accused of enlisting Forrest and Stewart to obtain confidential information through fraudulent means.

All three men appeared in the dock at Southwark Crown Court this morning to deny committing fraud by false representation between January 1 and August 30, 2011.

They spoke only to confirm their names and enter not guilty pleas during the 30 minute hearing.

Finally: West Ham directors Karren Brady (right), David Gold (left) and David Sullivan (centre left) announced the move with London mayor Boris Johnson (centre) after the protracted saga over the preferred bidder for the stadium

Judge Anthony Leonard QC sent the case for trial which will not take place until next year.

The trio are accused of pretending to be West Ham executives as the two clubs fought a protracted battle for control of the Stratford stadium following last summer’s games.

Spurs have since pulled out of the bid and West Ham are set to take residence at the 54,000 seat stadium in 2016.

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The men were freed on unconditional bail until the start of a trial, due to last between six and eight weeks, beginning on January 14, 2014.

Hill, of Shrigley Road, Poynton, Stockport, Cheshire, pleaded not guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation.