THE FIRST public hearing in the trial of seven men including former owner Craig Whyte and ex chief executive Charles Green over the alleged fraudulent Sevco acquisition of Rangers has been shifted from Glasgow to the High Court in Edinburgh.

The seven were initially due at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday, October 16.

However, the preliminary diet, which will be the first public instalment in the case, has been moved to the High Court in Edinburgh on the same date for "better management of proceedings".

It came after the Crown lodged an application for the case to be moved, which was in turn granted by the court.

The hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh is being held on the same day Charles Green's bid to have Rangers pay for his legal costs will be heard at the Court of Session.

Indictments were served last month alleging charges the seven will face when the case comes to the High Court.

They include fraud, conspiracy to defraud, attempting to pervert the course of justice and being involved in organised crime.

Motherwell-born Mr Whyte, 44, bought Rangers from Sir David Murray in 2011 for a nominal sum of £1 but the oldco went into administration the following year and is currently in liquidation. In 2012, a Sevco consortium led by Charles Green bought the assets including Ibrox and Murray Park.

Mr Whyte and Mr Green first appeared in court in August after an investigation into the alleged fraudulent acquisition of the club in 2012 and the aftermath.

Indictments have been also been served against David Whitehouse, Paul Clark and David Grier, who were all working for administrators Duff and Phelps at the time.

Also facing charges are Gary Withey, who worked for a law firm involved in the purchase of Rangers by Craig Whyte, and Imran Ahmad, a former Rangers commercial director.

A spokesman for the Judicial Office for Scotland said: "The court has granted an application by the Crown Office for the preliminary hearing to be transferred from Glasgow to Edinburgh."

A spokesman for the Crown said: "The hearing next Friday is a procedural hearing. For better management of proceedings, the Crown, court and defence agreed that the hearing take place in Edinburgh."