Four men have appeared in court charged with fraudulent activity linked to the sale of Rangers Football Club three years ago.

Gary Withey, 50, David Whitehouse, 49, Paul Clark, 50, and David Grier, 53, were granted bail following a hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

All four are accused of involvement in an alleged fraudulent scheme to acquire Rangers in 2011.

Withey, from Woking in Surrey, faces a second charge under the Companies Act.

Whitehouse, from Wilmslow, Cheshire; Clark, from Esher in Surrey; and Grier, from Wokingham, Berkshire, are also accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

They made no plea or declaration and will appear in court again at a later date.

The men were detained following a joint operation by Police Scotland and officers in England on Friday. An arrest warrant was issued for former Rangers owner Craig Whyte, 43, in connection with the investigation.

Whyte took control of Rangers from Sir David Murray in May 2011. The club went into administration in February the following year.

PA