A MAN defrauded a number of unsuspecting victims – including one he met in hospital – to pay off his gambling debts, a court heard.

Christopher Grainge, 36, admitted three counts of fraud when he appeared before magistrates yesterday.

Grainge, of Eggleston View, Darlington, asked for another incident to be taken into consideration.

The four charges involved more than £1,000.

Blair Martin, prosecuting, said the first incidents happened last summer.

Grainge met his first victim, and their partner, in hospital and offered to sell them three televisions for £500, saying they were bankrupt stock.

Mr Martin said the couple paid Grainge via a money transfer into his partner’s bank account.

The next day, Grainge rang the couple and said he also had some laptops for sale.

They passed his details to a friend, who also paid a deposit into Grainge’s partner’s bank account.

The court heard that the people later asked for a refund when the goods failed to arrive.

In November, Grainge responded to a job advert for a chef and, after winning the interviewer’s trust, he offered to sell her a television.

They agreed on a deposit, which she paid. She also pursued Grainge when no goods arrived.

Mr Martin told Darlington magistrates: “A number of excuses were made. Again, there was no refund and, again, there were no goods.

“The woman said she was angry because she had been conned out of her money and he never had any intention to give her the goods.”

He said that when police interviewed him, Grainge said he needed the money to pay for a gambling problem and that he never intended to supply goods or refund any money.

The magistrates were told he also withdrew money from his partner’s account without her knowledge.

No mitigation was made on Grainge’s behalf.

Grainge, who was granted unconditional bail, will be sentenced at Teesside Crown Court on May 14.