Gambling addict avoids jail after stealing from employer

A GAMBLING addict who stole £5500 from shop where he worked has escaped jail and been ordered to carry out 160 hours of community service.

Richard Humphries, 32, ran up debts of more than 50,000 by playing games online.

At an earlier hearing fiscal depute Malcolm Stewart told Edinburgh Sheriff Court Humphries was assistant manager at The Avenue Stores at Blackford Avenue, Edinburgh, and was in charge of checking all the sales. He carried out the scam by creating phantom cashback transactions when a customer used a credit card.

Humphries, of Calder Grove, Edinburgh, admitted carrying out the embezzlement at the store between August 10 last year and May 12 this year.

Sheriff Frank Crowe said he would impose unpaid work as an alternative to custody. He told Humphries: "You are a very fortunate man that despite this grave breach of trust you have your family standing by you and they have assisted you in squaring up the money side of things."