FORMER Rangers owner Craig Whyte was met by angry fans after he appeared in court accused of plotting a fraudulent takeover of Rangers - and was ordered to give up his passport.
The 43-year-old was granted bail after appearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court, but is not allowed to leave the UK.
His appearance yesterday followed a night in police custody. He was arrested by officers from Police Scotland as he arrived at Heathrow on Thursday after being refused entry to Mexico.
It came two weeks after an international arrest warrant was issued for his capture in connection with a two-year probe into the sale of Rangers in 2011.
The Motherwell-born venture capitalist faced a string of charges during a private hearing in courtroom number three, including claims he funded a controlling share in Rangers by selling off three years' worth of season tickets to London-based Ticketus while pretending to then owner Sir David Murray that he was using his own money.
Mr 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.
No further court date was set.
Mr Whyte, looking noticeably thinner and sporting a new look - a goatee beard and slicked-back hair - made no comment as police ushered him through a large crowd of reporters and cameramen outside the courthouse.
Once hailed as the saviour of the beleaguered club with "wealth off the radar", he has since become a hate figure blamed for plunging the club into administration and liquidation.
A number of Rangers supporters gathered outside to hurl abuse as Mr Whyte left in a waiting car after the 45-minute hearing.
The fraud charge he faces spans from January 2010 to February 2012. Mr Whyte bought Rangers for £1 in May 2011. Nine months later, it went into administration.
Legal papers claim Mr 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 Mr Whyte.
Mr Whyte is then accused of pretending he would provide £5 million to buy players, that he would fork out £2.8m for a tax liability and use £1.7m to settle "agreed capital expenditure".
It is further alleged Mr Whyte pretended to the SFA 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 Mr Whyte got the shareholding by fraud and that he failed to provide contracted funds for the "continued operation" of the club - withholding payment of VAT, PAYE and NI contributions from HMRC, thus tipping Rangers 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 meet obligations as purchaser of the club" - in particular £18.2m paid to Lloyds Bank.
Four other men have also been charged in connection with the case. David Whitehouse, 49, Paul Clark, 50, David Grier, 53 and Gary Withey, 50, are charged with being involved in a fraudulent scheme.
Mr Withey, who worked for Mr Whyte's London lawyers Collyer Bristow before taking a post with Rangers, also faces charges under the Companies Act.
Mr Grier, Mr Whitehouse and Mr Clark - employees of administrator Duff & Phelps - are charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.
All four made no plea at their hearing and were bailed pending a future court date.
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