Last updated at 12:40, Wednesday, 18 July 2012

A thief stole from a disabled woman’s bank account to fund his online gambling.

Alexander James Keane, 31, placed bets on several sites including 32 Red, Lady Luck and 4 Slot after getting the details from a friend who was helping the disabled woman get her shopping and going to the bank for her.

Carlisle Magistrates’ Court heard how Keane, of Holywell Crescent, Botcherby, got hold of the bank details and used them to gamble over a five-day period last year.

The victim only realised her money was missing when the bank froze her account.

Keane, who admitted fraud, told magistrates that he was high on amphetamines at the time.

A heroin user in the past, he was now clear and getting his life back together. He said he was suffering the effects of drug use at the time – between October 19 and 25, 2011 – and had since stopped gambling.

Magistrates ordered him to do a six-month community order and to pay £230 compensation back to the victim, whose identity was not revealed in court.

First published at 11:28, Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk