A SELF-PROFESSED gambling addict went into two betting shops just moments after telling magistrates he would never gamble again.

Michael Schneiderman appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court where he admitted stealing a charity collection tin in Hove Library.

The 80-year-old said he was “skint for a long time” because of his addiction, which is draining his income from his state pension.

He told the court he has solved his gambling problem, then moments after leaving the court with a conditional discharge he was seen entering and leaving two betting shops in St James’s Street in Brighton.

It is not clear whether he placed any bets inside William Hill or Betfred, and he was only inside for a few minutes in each before he walked towards Brighton city centre.

Martina Sherlock, prosecuting, said Schneiderman took the charity tin belonging to fundraisers for Hove Library on May 1 this year.

Schneiderman represented himself in court, and said he had been told by police that the case against him would not be continued.

But he had torn up the letter.

“I swear to you, I got that letter, but it does not make me innocent,” he told magistrates.

He said he took the tin containing £4.80 for the Hove Library charity when he was desperate for food.

Schneiderman said: “I’ve been skint for a long time, I was getting my food out of rubbish bins near where I live. But on the day the bins were locked up and I didn’t have any money and I was hungry.

“So I went to the library. I’m fully aware that it was wrong, I needed money to solve my problems.

“I was taking money out from my bank account to spend on gambling every week.”

The court clerk asked him if he had a gambling addiction, and he said yes.

“But since I got that letter from the court I stopped gambling. I don’t have to take any rubbish out of the bins for food any more.

“I am guilty and I am sorry about it.” He replied.

Magistrates decided to impose a conditional discharge for nine months on Schneiderman, of Vallance Gardens in Hove.

But they ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £20, along with the £4.80 owed to Hove Library.

“Given your financial circumstances, we are not making an order for court costs,” they said.