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Leeds casino boss axed open fruit machines in £44,000 raid
A MANAGER addicted to gambling axed open fruit machines in the Leeds casino where he worked and stole £44,000.
Hours later Andrew Barnett walked into a police station, handed over all but 100 of the cash and gave himself up.
Leeds Crown Court heard Barnett, 37, had worked for Grosvenor Casinos for five years and was manager of their Merrion Centre club.
But he was a binge gambler who ran up 22,000 credit card debts and borrowed 20,000 from his sister and 3,000 from his brother.
Prosecutor Richard Wright said Barnett hatched the plot to plunder the casino while he sat at home in candlelight on Christmas Eve night after his electricity was cut off.
On Christmas Day morning when the casino was shut he took a chisel and axe to the casino, using his own key to get in.
He smashed open 16 gaming machines, stealing more than 44,000 in notes as well as causing 48,000 damage.
Just after 2pm the same day Barnett went to a police station and owned up to the theft. Police were unaware of the raid.
James Littlehales, for Barnett, said his client was desperate. "He realised how stupid he had been. This was a most unusual offence brought about by debt problems exacerbated by the fact he was effectively a binge gambler."
Judge James Spencer gave Barnett a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months with a year's supervision and ordered him to do 180 hours unpaid work.
The judge banned Barnett from holding a personal casino management licence under the 2005 Gambling Act.
Mr Wright said it was a "forlorn hope" Barnett would be able to pay back his former employers.
Barnett, of Elizabeth Street, Little Horton, Bradford, admitted theft. He has no previous convictions.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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