When former Bruck Cricket Club captain Jordan Blades turned to theft to fund his gambling habit, he also breached the trust of the club he had been involved with for 20 years, by stealing $170 from the bar.
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Blades pleaded guilty to the crime this week in Wangaratta Magistrates Court.
The court heard that as a leader within the club, he had a key to the Rovers United-Bruck club rooms in Wangaratta and used it to enter the building at 4am on February 23.
CCTV cameras, which had been installed because of recent issues, captured his movements as he went to the bar and stole the cash.
Blades also pleaded guilty to the theft of $18 cash from a car parked at a Noonan Street home, after his fingerprint was found on the car.
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His defence solicitor Geoff Clancy said the money was paid back to the cricket club as soon as he was caught.
"The gambling got to him," he said.
"He was at his lowest ebb when he went in there at 4am to get $170 ... It went straight to the TAB."
He argued that society encourages people to gamble.
"This is part of the by-product of that where ordinarily good people make foolish choices," Mr Clancy said.
Blades, who works full time, had no criminal history.
Magistrate Ian Watkins placed him on a good behaviour bond, with the conditions he continue counselling and pay $500 to the court fund.
"The tragedy in all of this is you've tarnished your reputation," he said.
"It's a theft from your cricket mates and it a pretty significant breach of trust because you were entrusted with a key."