A MAN who fraudulently stole almost £70,000 from victims after he gained their trust, to fund his drug and gambling addiction, was so racked with guilt he turned himself in to police.

Sam Beaton, aged 37, of Southview Road, Weymouth, pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud by making dishonest representations with the intent to make a personal gain from three victims, and was jailed for two years.

Prosecuting, Stuart Elacott, told Bournemouth Crown Court that Beaton was working in Tunstall in Yorkshire at Sand La Mere Holiday Park where he was earning around £100,000 a year when he gained the trust of three of his victims who he dishonestly took a total of £69,500 from, between October 31, 2018 and June 18, 2019.

Mr Elacott said that whilst working at the caravan park Beaton became close to the victims and made a number of promises about how he could obtain accommodation and sell it at a profit for them, but kept money given to him to himself.

One victim who purchased a caravan at the park with her mother was convinced by Beaton to hand over £1,500 after he told her he would purchase a hot tub and decking for the new accommodation.

In a victim personal statement read out to court she said the money handed over to Beaton was left to her and her sister following her father's death and said she trusted Beaton with it.

Another victim, James McGinty, handed over a total of £19,000 to purchase a caravan and a lodge as well as decking for the properties.

Mr Elacott said that Mr McGinty got to know the defendant and described him as someone he knew well, trusted and formed a friendship with.

Another victim, Michelle Vicker, was convinced to hand over a total of £49,000 to Beaton to purchase two lodges and a caravan.

In an interview, Beaton said that Mrs Vickers was the victim that he felt the most upset about and called her a 'really lovely lady' and said that she was perhaps the main reason why he went to turn himself in, because he completely misused her trust.

In a victim personal statement, Mrs Vickers said that when she met Beaton she was really struggling personally because she had been caring for her elderly father, which was something she had disclosed to Beaton and said she felt a lot of 'shame and embarrassment' about the amount of money that she had given away.

Mr Elacott said that Beaton at the time of these offences was using an 'obscene' amount of cocaine which was costing him around £160 a day. He said that gambling was also an issue for Beaton who at the time was betting larger and larger amounts of money in the hopes of getting a big win.

Defending, Cathy Kioko-Gilligan said: "It has to be said this is a mean and selfish offence."

Ms Kioko-Gilligan said that Beaton knows he will serve a custodial sentence and feels that that is what he deserves. She said he knows he has caused pain and mental anguish and regrets what he has done.

She said Beaton 'simply has nothing' and revealed that he was currently homeless and doesn't see his young children who are eight and 11 because he is so ashamed of himself. She said: "He knows he is not the role model that they deserve."

Ms Kioko-Gilligan told the court that Beaton's parents having been married a number of years, divorced as a direct result of his offending, and his own long term relationship had also broken down and come to an end.

Beaton's mental health was also said to have deteriorated and he has been sectioned on three occasions since. She said he is trying to turn his life around and has addressed his drug addiction and is now drug free and has taken positive steps in the right direction to address his gambling.

She said that he hopes he can re-establish contact with the victims and be able to offer compensation to them.

Recorder Nicholas Haggan QC said: "You made a variety of promises to individuals to obtain other accommodation and sell it for a profit.

"You turned yourself in to a police station because you were racked with guilt over what you had done and you were remorseful.

"You obtained monies to fund an addiction to drugs, alcohol and gambling - the money was effectively thrown away by you."

Mr Haggan told Beaton that because he did go to a police station and confessed and has shown significant remorse would sentence Beaton to two years imprisonment on each count to all be served concurrently.