Guilty plea for pokie money theft

A former pokie venue manager has pleaded guilty to stealing gaming machine money belonging to the New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT).

Martin Clyve (correct spelling) Lamplough, 64, unemployed company director of Whitianga, was the venue operator of the Counties Inn, Pukekohe, when he failed to bank a week’s gaming machine take of $27,015.60 for NZCT in May last year.

He told the Department of Internal Affairs he had used the pokie money to pay his business’s bills and accounts, breaking the venue agreement he had with NZCT. Lamplough’s company went into receivership. The Department said Lamplough was warned several times in 2011 and 2012 for late banking of gaming machine money and he was also issued with a $2500 infringement notice.

Internal Affairs Regulatory Services General Manager, Maarten Quivooy, said pokie proceeds do not belong to the venue operator or the gambling trust that owns the gaming machines.

“They hold the money in trust for distribution to the community. Stealing pokie money is actually taking money away from the organisations that support our communities. We monitor all gaming machines in pubs and clubs to ensure that takings are properly accounted for and we are pleased that we have been able to hold this person accountable under the the law,” Maarten Quivooy said.

Lamplough will be sentenced in the Pukekohe District Court on 23 October.

ENDS

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