SNS GroupA former Scotland footballer, cleared of having £47,000 of dirty money, claimed she was threatened by “serious” people.
Suzanne Mulvey, 41, alleged she was unaware that she was sent the cash, which belonged to an 88-year-old woman.
The ex-Celtic and Rangers striker told Glasgow Sheriff Court that she was then contacted by associates of a family member.
Mulvey – who played 13 times for her country – stated that the associates threatened to harm her loved ones if she did not follow their demands.
This included withdrawing the money from her bank account as well as using her identification to buy Euros.
Meantime, co-accused Callum Walker, 34, was asked by a “friend” to collect a bar of gold, which was unknowingly paid for using the elderly woman’s cash.
The pair, who are unknown to each other, appeared at the dock where they both denied separate charges of possessing criminal property.
The charges span between November 10 and November 21, 2021.
The trial heard that Mulvey had been repeatedly contacted by an associate of a family member in November 2021.
She had been told money had been put into her account and to withdraw it, but she initially refused their demand.
Mulvey said: “I was told I needed to, as other people were involved, and they were serious, and that I needed to get it out.”
Mulvey refused to say who was involved but was aware of who they were.
She later overheard a conversation in which a family member claimed the associate was outside of his house and refused to leave until Mulvey complied.
The associates later attended Mulvey’s home where they took her bank card and PIN number.
Jurors were shown Mulvey’s bank statement from after that date, which showed a string of purchases including £91 at a Lego store, £20 at Amazon and £35 at Argos.
Mulvey stated that she was driven on multiple occasions by the associates to pawn brokers and money exchange locations to buy Euros on her card, as her identification was also required.
Mulvey claimed that she was made to buy a £695 pair of men’s boots at House of Fraser during one of the trips.
Her defence counsel, Declan O’Keefe, asked his client if she thought about raising the alarm to the shopkeepers.
She replied: “No, from the very first phone call at no point did I think it was okay for me to do that. I was worried for my family.”
Mulvey told jurors that she did not know the elderly victim and was never given back her bank card by the associates.
Mulvey was later arrested and gave a “no comment” interview which she was later quizzed on by the associates.
She claims an officer told her: “We know this wasn’t you and there were other people involved, if you name names we can make this go away for you.”
Mr O’Keefe asked: “Did you give names?”
Mulvey replied: “No, I know what these people are capable of.”
Walker, in his evidence, told jurors that he was asked by a friend of six months to collect a gold bar on his behalf at Glasgow Vaults.
He told his lawyer Neal McShane that he was not paid to do this.
Walker, of Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, claimed that he has since fallen out with the man after they had an “argument regarding this.”
Prosecutor Gemma Barclay asked: “Why were you so willing to offer up your own identity documents for something that had nothing to do with you?”
Walker replied: “I thought I was doing a favour helping someone out.”
After the jury acquitted the pair, Sheriff Kevin McCarron told them: “You are free to leave and are discharged from the dock.”
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