The investigation into a British man accused of "courtsiding" was yesterday adjourned for a week following claims from the London-based company he works for that he should be released without punishment.

At a hearing in Melbourne Magistrates Court, Daniel Dobson, 22, was charged with "illegal gambling from the stands", which falls under the remit of "engaging in conduct that would corrupt a betting outcome".

The court heard that Dobson, who could be jailed for up to 10 years if found guilty, used an electronic device, stitched into his shorts, to send live scores back to a data company called sportingdata. That is alleged to have given sportingdata's clients a window of opportunity to bet on tennis at more generous odds, before they are amended by bookmakers.

Sportingdata released a statement describing the accusations and charges against Dobson as "grossly unfair". In the statement, the company claimed that what Dobson was doing could in no way be construed as match-fixing. "There is no way we could conceivably be affecting how the match pans out," it read.