A cheating gambler who persisted in harassing employees of a national bookmaking chain within minutes of being warned to desist by a judge has been committed to prison for 12 months for his flagrant contempt of court. The man had mounted a campaign against employees of Ladrokes Betting & Gaming Limited.
At an earlier hearing he had been handed a suspended sentence and given a stern warning that he would be sent to prison if he persisted in harassing the company’s staff or attempted to enter any of the company’s betting shops in breach of a court order. Judge Richard Seymour jailed him after hearing that, just a few minutes after that sentence was imposed, the man abused one of the company’s directors and threatened to break another’s jaw within the precincts of the court.
The man had previously unsuccessfully sued the company, claiming that it had failed to pay him substantial winnings. A county court judge had condemned him as a cheat, having used a ‘slow counting’ method and distraction to confuse betting shop staff. In various court proceedings involving the gambler, Ladbrokes had run up legal bills in excess of £200,000.