A PLAYGROUP organiser who helped himself to almost £7,000 in a year -- and blew it on fruit machines -- was today starting a nine month jail term.

Mark Lawless, 35, was working as Burnley Play Association's Development Officer -- its sole employee -- but was also in the grip of a gambling addiction when he forged signatures on cheques and pocketed cash totalling £6,574, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Lawless, of Cog Lane, Burnley, whose barrister said the defendant had asked him especially to apologise to the association's committee and volunteer workers for his behaviour, admitted theft and making a false instrument.

He asked for 41 offences to be considered and had been committed for sentence by Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Magistrates.

Sentencing him, Judge Barbara Watson said Lawless had been of previous impeccable character and would almost certainly never offend again, but the court had to mark publicly the gravity of what he had done.

She said the defendant had brought disgrace on his family and would no doubt not be able to find such employment again which would mean hardship for them in the future.

The judge added that each and every time Lawless had signed a cheque and withdrawn money he was betraying the association. Those trusted to handle public money in an honest and honourable way, but who breached the trust placed in them, must go to prison.

Tina Landale, prosecuting, said the defendant committed the offences between November 1999 and 2000. When he was arrested, he said he had given into temptation and that he was ashamed, embarrassed and regretted his actions. Lawless had no previous convictions.

Robert Crawford, defending, said Lawless had been a thoroughly hard-working, decent family man and had never been in trouble in his life.

He had been supervised by the association's committee and when it became clear what he had done, they did not want to lose him.

The defendant had been working inordinate hours and had been very successful in running the organisation.

Lawless had become addicted to gambling after he found himself waiting for an appointment in the town centre one afternoon.

To kill time, he went into an amusement arcade, spent £10 and won £30. That gave him the bug, he then went on to spend between £10 and £15 a day, but the first time had been a fluke and Lawless then lost money repeatedly.

The defendant had been to Gamblers Anonymous, lapsed and then started taking money again.

He had now managed to stabilise himself and had not been near a slot machine for 14 months. Lawless had rebuilt his life and got himself a job delivering calor gas bottles.

The barrister added the defendant had managed to save £600 towards compensating the association.