Gambling Addict Steals $53,000

Upper Hutt gambling addict admits stealing $53,000

An Upper Hutt property manager dealing with Education Ministry rental properties stole more than $53,000 to feed a gambling addiction.

Stephanus Otto, of Upper Hutt, pleaded guilty to theft in a special relationship.

Wellington District Court judge Peter Hobbs sentenced him to three months home detention, 100 hours community work and ordered him to pay the reparation.

The judge said he had been the property manager who was in charge of collecting money and was responsible for accessing accounts through a computer system.

He altered the system to put $53,968.04 into his own bank account over eight payments.

Judge Hobbs ordered him to undertake gambling prevention courses as part of his home detention sentence.

"You are clearly remorseful. You were driven by gambling addiction, but that is no excuse," the judge told Otto.

"You used the money as if it were your own."

Otto had arrived at court with a $13,000 bank cheque to begin paying the reparation.

His lawyer, Paul Knowsley, said it had been a spectacular fall from grace for Otto who had lost jobs over the offending and needed to keep the job he now had to continue to pay the reparation.

He handed the judge a letter of apology from Otto saying he was aware that he had destroyed his professional prospects.