Scottish Roulette Embezzler Jailed

A man who became addicted to electronic roulette machines and embezzled £120,000 faces two years in prison. Bryan Kettle, of Perth, Scotland, admitted to stealing thousands of pounds in order to fund his frequent gambling sessions on electronic roulette games in nearby bookmakers. Kettle embezzled from three businesses, including Marmions Restaurant in Melrose, a nearby marquee firm and Border Bingo Clubs, over an estimated four and a half year period.

Kettle’s lawyer, Graham Basten, suggested that the addictive nature of electronic roulette machines had been highlighted to the government and added that he “hoped” the situation would be addressed by them. Sentencing Kettle to two years, Sheriff Kevin Drummond proposed that he had given the nature of the crime; he was “unable to deal with this other than by a significant custodial sentence”.