Gambler goes to jail for theft

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by Change | 28 Oct 2008

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A man from Yorkshire who stole money to fuel his gambling addiction from the charity where he worked has been sentenced.

A Yorkshire man with an alleged 30-year history of gambling abuse has been jailed for stealing cash from his employer, it has been reported.

Leeds Crown Court heard Terrence Riggs had severe gambling problems, leading to him thieving from the Wakefield mental illness charity Together: Working for Wellbeing on 171 occasions, according to the Yorkshire Post.

The spate of offences included the stealing of petty cash, submitting fraudulent expense claims and making out false invoices.

Mr Riggs was described by his mitigating lawyer Mark Owens as having a gambling addiction since his 20s.

It was also said his actions had caused his wife and daughter, who continue to work for the charity, "great embarrassment".

The publication reports Mr Owens told the court: "The degree of gambling and theft spiralled out of control. He thought of taking his own life."

In similar news, the BBC said a former postmistress who stole over £71,000 to subsidise her online gambling addiction has been jailed for 18 months.

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