A MAN cheated his father out of money by fraudulently cashing cheques to fund his gambling addiction, magistrates at Welshpool Court were told on Tuesday.

They ordered Ryan Vaughan Jones, 26, of Bethesda Chapel, Llansanffraid, to receive help to fight his gambling addiction as part of a 12 month community order
He was also ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid community work and to pay his father, Michael Jones, £500 in compensation.

Jones pleaded guilty to theft of his father’s cheque book and six charges of fraud by false representation between March 19 and June 10.

Matthew Ellis, prosecuting, said Jones had taken the cheque book and forged his father’s signature to cash cheques at his local Spar shop “roughly 20 times” to a total of around £1,352.

Owain Jones, for Jones, said the shop had eventually contacted the police to say that something suspicious was happening.

But he said Jones had been using the money to fund his gambling addiction which had got out of control and was ruining his life and his family.

“You have heard what a destructive addiction this is. The defendant has been struggling with this for 10 years which shows you how old he was when he started as he is only 26 now.

“But he has apologised to his father and his father feels that he needs help while his mother also supports her son and has been trying to get help for him for many years and has found him a place at a clinic in London that will address this issue.

“Until now the seriousness of his addiction hasn’t been fully realised,” said Mr Jones.