A man who admitted to illegal gambling has been jailed for one month and fined €233, more than 10 years after the crime was committed.

The magistrate said the police had not proven their case but the man had already pleaded guilty.

Albano Kokavessis, 41, had been spotted by the police in April, 2001, surrounded by men in suspicious circumstances. When they investigated he tried to hide €2,670 in cash and notebooks with football teams’ names written on them.

Mr Kokavessis registered a guilty plea in November 2002.

He denied that he ever organised betting pools but Magistrate Miriam Hayman found his testimony to be most unconvincing, especially his claim that he was carrying the money to pay household bills, on a Sunday.

In handing down judgement, Magistrate Hayman said she felt the prosecution had failed to prove the allegations against him. However, once she had his admission she had to find him guilty.

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