A COMPULSIVE gambler who plundered his girlfriend's life savings to pay for his addiction has been jailed.

Exeter Crown Court heard over the space of five months, 31-year-old Matthew Parker dipped into Melanie Jordan's Royal Bank of Scotland account more than 145 times and took almost £14,000.

He then blew the cash in casinos, always hoping for the big win which would allow him to repay the money before he was found out.

But that never happened.

Parker, of Halsteads Road, Torquay, pleaded guilty to 12 offences of fraud and asked for 136 similar matters to be considered.

He was jailed for nine months.

Prosecutor Lee Bremridge said, in an attempt to avoid discovery, Parker intercepted the victim's mail because he knew the money was her life savings.

Mitigating, Oliver Wilmot said Parker accepted what he had done was a gross breach of trust and these were nasty offences.

However the relationship was not started by his client with a view to committing the offences and the gambling had started later.

"As with most gamblers, he was hoping to have the big win which would make everything all right but that never happened," said Mr Wilmot.

He said the defendant now had a job at the Dartmouth Golf and Country Club and was in a position to pay compensation.

Passing sentence Judge John Neligan told Parker: "You helped yourself to her life savings and milked her account of £13,880.

"This was deceit and a blatant breach of trust and the offences were committed to fund your gambling addiction.

"These matters are so serious that only an immediate prison sentence in appropriate."