Olympic Stadium bid: Three admit spying on West Ham United

Three football clubs had wanted to use the Olympic Stadium

Three men have admitted spying on West Ham United during the bidding process for the Olympic Stadium.

Richard Forrest, Lee Stewart and Howard Hill admitted illegally obtaining confidential information from the football club and Olympic Park Legacy Company at Inner London Crown Court.

They were arrested after claims that Tottenham Hotspur had spied on Olympic officials, which the club denied.

The three men will be sentenced on 20 December.

Forrest, 31, of Furzefield in Crawley, Stewart, 40, of More Lane in Esher, and Hill, 59, of Shrigley Road South in Stockport, all admitted one charge of obtaining personal data contrary to Section 55 Data Protection Act 1998.

A charge of fraud by false representation was left to lie on file for each of the defendants.

The men had previously denied the charge at Southwark Crown Court.

Tottenham Hotspur, Leyton Orient and West Ham all made bids to use the stadium after the 2012 Olympic Games, with the Hammers eventually being awarded sole use.