hry33

Bungled betting binge
Philip Cullen, County Court reporter
10jun04

A HOTEL gaming room supervisor, who went on a $540,000 credit betting spree on Club Keno tickets was yesterday released on a suspended jail term.

Paul John Mills made 1144 bets, ranging from $5 to $500, but won back just $418,489 for a net loss of $121,941.
Mills, 24, last year left a large number of tickets in a wastepaper basket, and a letter of apology, before driving home from the Albion Hotel in the early hours of September 24.

His lawyer said despite the huge loss, "the gods must have been smiling" on Mills that day because he crashed his car at 180km/h and survived with relatively minor injuries.

The County Court heard medical opinion that it was highly likely Mills was suffering at the time from a diabetic condition that affected his judgment.

Judge Elizabeth Curtain told Mills, who pleaded guilty to one count of theft, it was "a spectacular binge of betting".

Judge Curtain said the consequences of that night were catastrophic for Mills who lost his job, his fiancee and his opportunity for employment while he recuperated.

She jailed him for two years, wholly suspending the term for two years.

The court heard Mills, from Maitland, in South Australia, was not allowed to gamble while at work or gamble on credit because of his position.

But he started credit betting on Club Keno about 7.40pm and finished about 3.45am the next day, almost three hours after he closed the gaming room.

Mills offered explanations about the unusual betting to Tattersall's staff, who rang the hotel five times that night, and on one occasion pretended to be the hotel manager.

He stopped betting when Tattersall's shut down the machine, and left a note saying: "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I will never see you again. Sorry, Paul."

Mills later told police he had won $700 early but it "went downhill" and he kept gambling to chase his losses.

The court heard Tattersall's loss was confined to the tax it had to pay on its betting turnover.

Defence lawyer Peter Collins told the court Mills' then fiance drove towards the hotel after he sent her a text message saying he was in trouble and would be home soon.

She came across the accident in which Mills suffered ankle and leg fractures, cuts and bruises.

Mr Collins said Mills was prescribed the wrong amount of medication for his diabetes at the time and developed a gambling problem, despite being in financial difficulties.

His debts included a $1000 fine, and $5000 compensation a magistrate ordered Mills to pay a woman after he stole from her bank account.



privacy © Herald and Weekly Times