A GAMBLER from Woodbridge who stole money from a children's football club to fuel his addiction is today faced with a compensation bill and a stint of unpaid work.

Simon Tomlinson

A GAMBLER from Woodbridge who stole money from a children's football club to fuel his addiction is today faced with a compensation bill and a stint of unpaid work.

Steven Nunn, of Thoroughfare, was given a four-week jail sentence suspended for 12 months during which he must complete 250 hours of community service.

He was also told to pay £550 back to Bourne Vale Football Club, in Halifax Road, Ipswich, where he abused his position as secretary to steal membership fees and even funds from a Christmas disco.

Nunn's lawyer, Mark Holt, said the 36-year-old was “very remorseful” and had been to three Gamblers Anonymous meetings to try to tackle his addiction.

Mr Holt said: “The gambling controlled him rather than vice versa and he always thought he could win it back. He has lost contact with his sister and nephews who were at the club.”

Nunn pleaded guilty to three charges of fraud by false representation and one charge of theft at an earlier hearing.

South East Suffolk Magistrates sitting in Ipswich were told he had lost his job in December last year at a time when his gambling was taking him deeper into trouble.

Nunn became club secretary in August 2007 and was responsible for collecting the £50 subscriptions paid by each child, but instead of paying around £2,900 into the club's bank account, he banked £250 less.

The court heard that Nunn had no authority to pay out money on behalf of the club and had to get authorisation from signatories, but on occasions this year he bypassed this protocol and signed cheques himself to obtain cash.

However, around £500 from the cheque scam has been paid back to the club by the bank.

Nunn also found that “temptation was too great to resist” when he pocketed an unknown amount of money from raffle and ticket sales from a disco organised by the children over the Christmas holidays last year.

Chairman of the magistrates, Ray Condon, said: “This theft was a breach of trust and it occurred over a reasonable period of time.”