Peter Smith, a former casino worker from Yarmouth, stole £8,500 from his employer by stuffing the cash in his socks.

This week, Yarmouth Magistrates’ Court heard that he did it to repay his £6,000 gambling debt.

Apparently, once Mr Smith had left the Palace Casino where he worked with the cash bulging from his socks, he went straight to Ireland to clear his poker debt.  He then got on a flight to Thailand to enjoy spending the remainder of his stolen money.

In court, Mr Smith pleaded guilty to stealing the money and was told he should expect a prison sentence when he appears in court later in the year for sentencing.

Mr Smith told the court that his motive for stealing the money was because he was concerned that the Irish gamblers who he owed the £6,000 were going to threaten his family.

The case for the prosecution highlighted that the casino’s computer security system captured evidence of a ‘movement of cash made in a suspicious nature’ involving money in a safe.

CCTV footage showed that the 37 year-old had opened the safe, taken the money from it and then stuffed it in his socks.

Conrad Shaw, the prosecutor said, “He was seen putting packets of cash into his socks, quite a considerable wodge of cash at that.”

Mr Smith was also seen putting the stolen money into his jacket pocket upon exiting the casino.

Police heard about the crime hours later and went round Mr Smith’s house, but by this time he was already on his way to Ireland.

A check on his whereabouts also revealed he went to Thailand after his trip to Ireland.

He eventually turned himself in at a Yarmouth police station claiming he did it to clear his gambling debt from a game of poker.

Chris Bowles, in mitigation, said Mr Smith turned himself in as he knew he would be caught and the theft was the result of the ‘pressure’ he felt from having to repay his gambling debt.

Mr Bowles said, “He is genuinely remorseful for what he did.  He was fearful of what might happen to him and his family if the money was not paid.”

Mr Smith worked on the cash-desk at the Palace Casino and the Gaming Board have ruled that he has been banned from working in casinos and the gambling industry.

He is now living at his parent’s house in Southampton and awaits sentencing.

Magistrates reached the verdict that they didn’t have enough power to pass a sentence on Mr Smith and have said his case will be decided at Norwich Crown Court later this year.

Mr Smith was bailed with the condition he continues to live at his parent’s house, reports to police daily and cannot hold a passport or apply for travel documents.
 

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