City gambling addict jailed for £7k fraud

A CATCH Me If You Can-style thief has been jailed for two years for fraudulently withdrawing more than £7,000 from a string of bank accounts in just five days.

Gambling addict Kevin Greenhill, 29, looked up his victim's personal details through the general registry so when security questions were put to him he was able to answer them.

Fiscal depute Gerard Drugan said Greenhill, whose address was given as Edinburgh Prison, would make phone calls to the banks, give some security information and then ask questions about the accounts, such as for recent transaction details. When he attended at branches he was then able to use this information.

Mr Drugan said: "It's like the film Catch Me If You Can with Leonardo DiCaprio. He said he found a flaw and kept going."

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday , Greenhill, admitted 13 charges of fraud carried out between October 13 and October 17 last year at Lloyds TSB and Royal Bank of Scotland branches throughout central Scotland.

Mr Drugan said he took 7,330 in total and withdrew amounts ranging from 100 to 1,500.

Defence agent Mathew Patrick said Greenhill's gambling addiction had devastated his life.