A gambling addict helped himself to £5500 from the till at the shop where he worked to fund his habit, a court has heard.

Richard Humphries, 32, ran up debts of over £50,000 by playing games online but has now cancelled his pin and joined Gamblers Anonymous.

Fiscal depute Malcolm Stewart, told Edinburgh Sheriff Court Humphries was assistant manager at The Avenue Stores at Blackford Avenue, Edinburgh, and was in charge of checking all the sales.

Mr Stewart said he carried out the scam by creating phantom cash-back transactions when a customer purchased an item using a credit card.

Humphries, of Calder Grove, Edinburgh, admitted carrying out the embezzlement at the store between August 10 last year and May 12 this year.

Mr Stewart added that Humphries had tried to take his own life. He added that his parents had paid off his debt to the store.

The court heard Humphries had a long-standing gambling addiction but was determined to right his wrongs and was now in employment again after losing his job at the shop.

Sheriff Frank Crowe said gambling could be a more vicious addiction than drugs and deferred sentence until next month for background reports.