AN employee who stole more than £10,000 from a bookmakers in Blacon where he worked is to be sentenced next month.

Mark Edward Williams admitted stealing the money while employed as a manager at M Cook bookmakers, but magistrates deemed the breach of trust was so serious that their sentencing powers were insufficient and the matter should be sent to Chester Crown Court.

Prosecutor, Bernard Byrne, explained that Williams, of Martin Close, Palace Fields, Runcorn, had been employed at the shop for less than two years, and had only recently become the shop manager.

Chester and Ellesmere Port Magistrates court was told that the 41-year-old was responsible for stealing takings from the shop between September and December 2004, and then used this to place bets on the premises in order to help him out of his spiralling debt problems.

On one occasion on November 30 he pocketed the week's takings worth £5,456 and the following week did the same, netting £4,741.

Ceri Evans, defending, said that Williams was a single father of two teenage daughters who had worked up to the position of manager within two years.

She explained that in the summer he had fallen into financial difficulties having promised a family holiday to celebrate his daughter's 18th birthday.

He had originally asked his employers for a loan to help him out, but before they could respond, he took £1,800 in takings, which was used towards the cost of the holiday.

Miss Evans said that when he returned from holiday he started placing bets to try to repay the money, but his debt just got bigger and bigger.

By December 8, Williams had been so racked with guilt he had intended to confess all to his area manager who had been due to attend, but she never arrived.

He instead wrote a confession letter in which he detailed all he had done.

Miss Evans explained that the main evidence before the court had been from her client's own admission.

She added that the thefts were not a 'pure financial gain of around £10,000' and that he had always intended paying the amounts back, and still has every intention of doing so even now.

The matter has now been adjourned for sentencing at Crown Court.