A GAMBLER caused more than £800 of damage when he lost his temper and threw a trolley at a casino roulette wheel.

Trouble brewed at Aspers in Wind Street in the city at 6am on January 31, when Neil Philippart, aged 26, who lives in Burrows Road, Swansea, misplaced a £100 gambling chip.

Lisa Jones, prosecuting at Swansea Magistrates' Court, said: "The defendant was a customer. He informed the manager that he'd lost a £100 chip. Staff assisted him and looked for it."

Mrs Jones said when they couldn't find it, Philippart became "agitated and abusive" towards them.

In an earlier hearing, the court heard he then "lifted up a trolley and threw it at the gaming table".

The trolley landed on the roulette wheel. Following his arrest, Philippart was shown CCTV footage of the incident.

"He said he couldn't believe what he'd done," said Mrs Jones.

Magistrates heard Philippart pleaded guilty to causing the criminal damage when he first appeared in court in March, but a dispute over the value of the damage had caused delay.

Leigh Davies, defending, said: "There was a vast difference between what the defence was saying and what the Crown (Prosecution Service) was saying."

He said the original charge stated that Philippart had caused more than £6,000 of damage to the roulette wheel — a figure strongly rejected by the defence.

Mr Davies said the prosecution were now "prepared to take a far more realistic view of the matter on behalf of the casino", and a sum of £806.05 had been agreed.

"There was, in effect, a guilty plea to the matter straightaway, the only thing in dispute was the value," he said.

He said cooperation from Aspers over the incident had "left a lot to be desired".

"If information had been more forthcoming, it could have been dealt with at an earlier stage," he said.

"The casino gave a far greater figure in the outset and now a far more realistic figure has been reached.

"He fully admitted the offence to the police. The fact of the matter is that Mr Philippart is here because of his own actions.

"He lost his temper through frustration because the casino wouldn't return him a chip that was rightfully his."

Philippart was fined £200 and ordered to pay a sum of £806.05 in compensation. He must also pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

julia.bosnyak@swwmedia.co.uk