A garage cashier in Penrith who stole £1,500 from his work and gambled away the whole amount in 24 hours has received a 12 months probation sentence. The gambling addict had hoped to clear more than £7,000 in debts through gambling his employers money.

Carlisle Magistrates heard how Sam Hamer, 21, plead guilty to the theft from his employer.

Prosecutor John Moran told the court that when Hamer was on duty at the Shell filling station on January 13, instead of banking £100 deposits in the safe he stashed them under the till.

At the end of the shift he caught a train to Glasgow and went directly to the casino losing £1,000 on the tables.

The following day he caught a train to Newcastle and lost the remaining £500 in a bookies. Shortly afterwards he handed himself in to the police.

He told police he had “gambling issues” and had been trying to win enough money to pay off his debts. He said he was sorry for what he had done.

Defending him, Margaret Payne claimed he had been trying to pay off £7,000 debts, though £5,000 is in student loans. He had also been given an eviction notice having fallen behind with the rent.

District Judge Gerald Chalk sentenced Hamer to 12 months’ probation and order that he pay his former employer £500.