St Ives Gambler punched machine after losing wages
A MAN who punched a gambling machine after losing an entire month s wages was traced by police using DNA evidence. Kastrot Karrashi, of All Saints Green, St Ives, was given a 12-month conditional discharge by Huntingdon magistrates on Thursday and ordered
A MAN who punched a gambling machine after losing an entire month's wages was traced by police using DNA evidence.
Kastrot Karrashi, of All Saints Green, St Ives, was given a 12-month conditional discharge by Huntingdon magistrates on Thursday and ordered to pay �200 towards the repair of the machine at Coral bookmakers in St Ives.
The court heard how Karrashi, 18, visited the bookmakers after being paid �400 on April 28 from his job as a car washer. After gambling all the money on a machine, he punched the screen and left the shop.
He was filmed on CCTV and police took a DNA sample of matter on the machine to identify Karrashi as the offender.
Peter Vialls, defending, explained Karrashi had been angered by his losses.
"He went in to bet �20 after being paid. When he lost that, he tried to win it back by betting again. When he realised he had lost all the �400 he had been paid that day, he became frustrated and punched the machine.
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"This is not someone who has a gambling problem. He has seen how stupid his actions have been, and he will not do something like this again."
Magistrate Heather White said: "We have heard that what happened has cost you a lot of money. What you did has also cost you an appearance here.
"If you are brought back here for another offence, the magistrates may choose to deal with this offence in another way."
