A thief gambled and lost when he raided numerous stores to steal scratch cards in an attempt to win cash to pay for his drug habit, a court heard.

Neil Walker failed to beat the odds to make a fortune on the National Lottery cards, but it turned out to be his lucky day when he walked free with a suspended sentence.

The 42-year-old drug addict, of Speedwell Avenue, Chatham, admitted robbery of a female sales assistant and eight theft offences.

He asked for 33 other thefts to be considered.

The raids over six months were on newsagents and convenience shops McColl’s in Gravesend, Rochester, Swanscombe, Gillingham and Longfield, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Ben Irwin said Walker would pretend to buy scratch cards and tobacco and then run off with them without paying.

The amounts involved each time were £50 to £100.

The robbery happened on June 14 after staff had been warned to keep hold of the cards until the money had been handed over.

A sales assistant at a store in Longfield did so and Walker used force, pulling her, to take £50 worth.

"He would scratch the cards in the hope he would win money to fund his habit" - defence lawyer Eve George

Judge Mark Dennis QC said: “It is a lower level of robbery. It is snatch stealing.”

Expressing surprise at the number of offences he committed, Walker said as he sat in the dock: “What was I doing?”

Mr Irwin said Walker had five previous convictions for 10 offences. They included a burglary for which he was jailed for 18 months.

Eve George, defending, said Walker managed to fund his drug habit when in regular work as a scaffolder.

“In January, things were not so good,” she said.

“It resulted in him having to steal tobacco, cigarettes and scratch cards.

“He would scratch the cards in the hope he would win money to fund his habit.”

Miss George said Walker took an overdose in July and was detained in hospital.

He had other health issues, including pleurisy and deep vein thrombosis.

An application was made for a pre-sentence report “to see if any further assistance can be given to him”.

But Judge Dennis said: “It is crying out for a suspended sentence.”

Suspending 16 months imprisonment for two years with no other conditions, he told Walker: “You have been sneaking and taking away scratch cards you are hoping to make a fortune from.

“On the last occasion, the shop assistant bravely tried to hang onto what you were trying to steal and you used force to snatch it away.

“The reason for doing all this was your drug problem. Only you can deal with that.

“It is to your immense credit you have been trying to deal with it.

“Your drug problem is not a mitigating factor but it is an explanation.

“You have been in and out of trouble with significant gaps over the years.

“I have to consider what is best for you in terms of trying to address your offending, and what is best for the public in order to try to prevent more offending.”

The judge added: “You leave here today with the slate clean. It is up to you.”