A GAMBLING addict fleeced his girlfriend out of more than £10,000 and left her struggling to get credit, a court heard.

Jonathan Richards narrowly avoided prison for his cruel fraud but was ordered to pay compensation to his former partner.

Richards, 35, withdrew money using the woman’s bank card and took out credit cards in her name without her knowledge.

He ran up bills of thousands of pounds, leaving the victim with the debt and sending her credit score plummeting.

Teesside Crown Court heard today that Richards successfully applied for two credit cards in his oblivious girlfriend’s name and spent £8,900 with them.

He used her card to withdraw amounts between £50 and £450, and transferred cash from her account to a payday loan company.

When she confronted him he admitted he had taken the cash but claimed he had paid it back, said prosecutor Shaun Dryden.

The couple split up in February last year two months after the last of the bank transactions, said Mr Dryden.

Richards, of High Church Wynd, Yarm, wrote to his ex and confessed he had a gambling problem and applied for the cards to feed his addiction.

But when he was arrested he denied wrongdoing and claimed his girlfriend was aware of his activities.

He lied saying she had given him permission to withdraw the money and was sitting next to him when he applied for the credit cards online.

He later pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud and the court was told he has repaid £1,800.

His former partner’s credit score fell from excellent to poor with the crimes, affecting her ability to obtain loans and a fixed rate mortgage.

Richards’ previous convictions included stealing belongings from his sister’s home and pawning them.

Julian Gaskin, defending, said Richards found himself in a “desperate state” and was spending money simply on food to eat.

“He asks me to apologise for what has taken place,” Mr Gaskin said. “He is disgusted and ashamed of his behaviour, and accepts it all stems from him being in denial with regard to the gambling issue.”

He said Richards was now with Gamblers Anonymous and had lost his job but regained employment in London earning about £1,000 per week.

“Bizarrely losing his job has led to an improvement in his situation,” said Mr Gaskin.

Judge Stephen Ashurst told Richards: “Obviously there is a degree of trust between partners and you have broken that trust.

“You defrauded her of a substantial amount of money that she could ill afford to lose.

“It’s had quite an impact upon her. Her credit score is now preventing her from moving on. That’s all down to you.

“Gambling is a notoriously difficult addiction for people to break. But you admitted what you did ultimately.”

He added: “Your cooperation with police and the fact that you are now in full-time work are factors which allow me just - and it is only just - to step back from sending to you prison.”

Richards was given a 15-month jail term suspended for two years and ordered to pay £8,500 compensation with £400 costs.