"Give up gambling and pay the money to your family instead."
This was what a judge told a man who admitted ripping off £35,000 from his step-grandad to feed his habit of having a flutter.
Jason Pearce admitted taking money from elderly Ivor Hanney, who lost capacity to deal with his finances and is now deceased.
Pearce, 45, of Mellent Avenue in Hartcliffe, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation.
Judge Martin Picton told him it was really serious offending, for which he should be deeply ashamed, which deprived Mr Hanney's family of his estate and merited prison.
But he heard Pearce was in a well paid job and was paying the money back at £400 a month.
The judge told him: "The betting company doesn't deserve a penny of your money. They've taken it away and spent it on themselves. Delete those apps, don't go to the bookies. Put yourself on the list of people that shouldn't gamble. You owe it to your family and yourself."
The judge deferred sentence until October 15.
He said that, in that six months, he wanted to see an end to Pearce's gambling and evidence of him paying the money back - at at least £400 a month.
Meabh McGee, prosecuting, told Bristol Crown Court in March 2018 Mr Hanney went into a Weston-super-Mare care home and was deemed not to have capacity to deal with his finances.
But a check by North Somerset Council revealed a discrepancy in his bank account, the court heard.
It emerged Pearce, who had been looking after Mr Hanney, had accessed his bank card and PIN and had been withdrawing cash for himself.
Miss McGee said: "He said he had a gambling habit.
"He was ashamed, upset and annoyed."
Matthew Comer, defending Pearce, said: "He admitted everything to his brother.
"He tells me he's paid £400 this month."
