A council administration assistant gambled - and lost - when he started playing fruit machines.

Glyn Strugnell began stealing cash which he should have banked and in two years disappropriated more than £16,000.

He had been employed since 1989 at the Eastleigh council's vehicle workshop depot in Hedge End, which offered licensing and MoT facilities to taxi drivers and members of the public.

Prosecutor Adrian Lower said his job involved the banking of cheques and cash. When errors began appearing in the paying in book, management initially put it down to incompetence and not dishonesty and placed him on a performance review.

However, Southampton Crown Court heard the discrepancies continued and Strugnell admitted he had been taking money for two years.

Strugnell, 51, of Camley Close, Southampton, admitted nine charges of theft and asked for a further 16 similar offences to be considered.

He was jailed for ten months.

The couret heard Strugnell has since lost his job and joined Gamblers Anonymous.