A FORMER shop manager stole 72 scratch cards because she was bored at work, a court heard.

Helen Coe, of Fields Close, Weeley, received a community order after she admitted stealing £105 of lottery scratch cards from Martin the Newsagent, in St Christopher Road, Colchester.

Colchester Magistrate’s Court heard on Friday the thefts took place on October 21 when Coe, a deputy manager for the branch, was the only member of staff on duty.

When colleagues arrived later that day they realised the scratch cards were missing and found some dumped in a staffroom bin.

Checks showed the cards had been activated for use by the shop, but had not been paid for.

Ian Allen, prosecuting, told the court Coe, 22, started playing with the scratch cards because she was bored and spent £30 of her own money on a batch of cards.

When she won on some of those, she stole more cards in the hope of winning more money, the court heard.

Raphael Piggott, mitigating, said the game had quickly become addictive.

He said she had been fired for the theft and had not found another job.

“She’s a young lady who gave into temptation on an afternoon at work when it was slow.

“These things are a temptation to people and are the sort of thing that leads people to gambling.

“You think ‘just one more and I’ll win’.

“She’s not the first person to have fallen into the trap and will not be the last.”

She was ordered to carry out 50 hours of unpaid work and pay Martin’s £105 in compensation.

Chief magistrate Brenda Pearce said: “We have given you credit for coming to court and pleading guilty.”