MAGISTRATES have ordered a Kidderminster man to pay back the £1095.42 he fraudulently gained from fiddling betting slips while employed at a bookmakers.

Jonathan Stokes, 25, of Clent Avenue, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation at Kidderminster Magistrates Court today.

He was fined £90 and order to pay compensation of £1095.42 to William Hill, which he took between Thursday, May 16 and Thursday, May 23.

Kerry Brookes, prosecuting, told the court that on Tuesday, May 28, security investigators at William Hill bookmakers became concerned about a member of staff at the Kidderminster branch.

They discovered that Mr Stokes had made 17 transactions where he had misrepresented betting slips on the electronic system and made it look like the winning numbers were on the slips.

Mrs Brookes said: “CCTV showed that on one occasion he wrote out his own slip which is against company policy.

“He was spoken to by his area manager on the May 29 and he made a full admission to taking this money. He blamed it on financial problems and said he would pay it back.

“He didn’t have the money to pay it back and his employment was terminated. He said knew his actions were risky, he considered his actions were wrong and he was sorry for what he had done.”

Defence solicitor Katherine Maynereid said Mr Stokes had worked at William Hill for two years and there had been no issues up until this point.

She said: “He has lost his good character today. He did get into financial issues and it was brought in part by a gambling problem he had. He got married and moved into a new house. He was under financial pressure.

“He was desperate at this particular time, this particular week. He was always going to get caught. He wasn’t thinking straight it was just desperation.

“He is extremely ashamed of his behaviour. He never thought he would be here.”

As well as compensation and the fine, Mr Stokes was ordered to pay costs of £50 and a £20 victim surcharge.