A GAMBLING addict who stole nearly £47,000 from his partner's childrens' legacy during a six-week spending spree has been spared prison.

Stephen Isaacs, 30, of Middle Touches, Chard, was in a relationship in January 2015 with a woman who knew he had gambled in the past and whose children had been left “about £50,000” by a relative, Taunton Crown Court was told.

He was handed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He took her debit card and used it for on-line gambling which lasted for five or six weeks, during which he lost £46, 921, said Harry Ahuja, prosecuting. ]

As a result of his gambling “firing out of control”, he sent her an e-mail explaining what he had done and went to the police and was arrested, he added.

He gave a frank account, saying how he tried to get his losses back by gambling more and more, and had difficulties with his health due to how he was feeling while trying to get the money back, which culminated in self-harming, he said.

In a victim impact statement, the woman, Kate Hooker, said the theft had left her “absolutely devastated and an emotional wreck”.

The court heard that she was still in love with him and that in the past, she was aware he had gambled, but was not aware that he had such an addiction.

She described herself as being a caring person and still cared for the defendant.

The children had lost out as a result of him and she was having to re-build her life and having counselling sessions.

She wished the court to take into account that she did wish him to be punished with a prison sentence, and he had come to an arrangement with solicitors to repay £250 a month, he added.

In mitigation, Simon Cooper, representing Isaacs, said he admitted theft, was employed by a private organisation in a “challenging field” working with schoolchildren, and had not “initially known of the provenance of the money he was taking”.

He was repaying as much as possible and hoped to earn more and pay more in future.

Recorder Richard Stead said he had stolen “a very considerable sum” as a result of his addiction to gambling and “this was an offence to which I would sentence you to three years after a trial”.

To his credit, Recorder Stead said, Isaacs reported himself to police, made a full confession, had shown remorse and started to repay the money.

References and a pre-sentence report spoke highly of him and he had the support of his employer and had made efforts to cure his gambling addiction.

Isaacs was sentenced to two years, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work and pay a victim surcharge of £140.