Gambling addict admits embezzlement

EXETER, England, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A British travel agency employee has admitted embezzling thousands of pounds to feed an online gambling habit she shared with her ex-boyfriend.

Cindy Streets was sentenced to 12 months in jail for the theft, the Times of London reported.

Streets admitted taking 26,100 pounds (almost $45,000) from the Exeter branch of Let's Go Travel, an agency owned by TV personality Phillip Schofield. She said she began taking money after maxing out her credit card and her then-boyfriend, who was unemployed, convinced her with every loss that the next block of cash she took would allow them to win enough to repay the agency.

Judge Graham Cottle had little sympathy.

"That did not happen," he said. "In the real world it does not happen. There was some attempt made to cover up your dishonesty, but it brought only temporary relief. I find the particular use to which the money was put an aggravating feature of this case."