A 22-year-old gambling addict stole £200 while staying overnight at a woman’s house only for him and his cousin to blow it in the bookies, a court heard.

Alexander Scorer, of Church View, Colne Engaine, near Colchester, took the money from the woman’s handbag after a night out in Ipswich.

Scorer pleaded guilty to theft when he appeared before magistrates in Ipswich.

Prosecutor David Bryant said Scorer had been invited to stay over at the woman’s house after she ended up inviting him and his cousin to her home.

The victim was a stylist who cut his cousin’s hair. The pair had met on an internet dating site, Mr Bryant told the court.

The arranged to meet on March 9. Scorer turned up with his cousin. Both men used false names with Scorer being introduced as Tom while Scorer’s cousin had used the name Luke.

They went out in Ipswich town centre with the woman and her friends, before sharing a taxi to the stylist’s home.

The court heard that shortly after arriving early on March 10 the woman and ‘Luke’ went to bed, leaving Scorer to sleep downstairs.

‘Luke’ and ‘Tom’ left shortly after 8am in a taxi. Later that day the woman noticed the her chest of drawers had been opened. She checked her purse in the living room and found two bundles of £100 notes had been stolen.

She subsequently discovered ‘Luke’s’ real name, although the settings on an iPhone had been altered to block contact with him.

After his arrest Scorer told police after leaving the victim’s home he went to McDonald’s before going to the bookies and spending most of the money.

Scorer told the court: “I apologise to (the victim) and also to the police and also to the court for my actions, which obviously are wrong.

“When the money was taken I did actually share the money with (my cousin). Because of our gambling habits we did spend the full amount.”

“Since then I have got help for the gambling side of things. I have self-excluded myself from every (betting) shop in Great Britain.”

“I am very sorry”.

Magistrates - who described the theft as a “nasty offence” - sentenced Scorer to a 12-month community order with an 80 hours’ unpaid work requirment.

He must also pay his victim £200 compensation, £85 prosecution costs, £60 to the victims’ fund and a £150 criminal courts charge.