Betting company William Hill only allows customers inside its shops for 15 minutes, twice a day because of coronavirus regulations.

When Vincent Stonier, 28, realised he would not have enough time to win his money back on May 1 he damaged £3,313 worth of gaming machines and TVs.

Stonier had gambled away £280 on fixed betting terminals at a William Hill’s store in Cheadle, Greater Manchester.

Staff told him he had 10 minutes left but he said he would refuse to leave and would ‘smash the place up’ unless he got his money back.

After 15 minutes passed and Stonier was still in the shop, a manager disabled the machines he was using.

Stonier asked: ‘Have you done that?’ before ‘smashing up the place in a temper’.

The shop called the police and Stonier told them: ‘I’m a bad gambler. I didn’t mean to cause the damage. I imagine it’s going to be expensive.’

His lawyer told North Staffordshire Justice Centre: ‘(Stonier) was frustrated. He was told to go and leave his money there. This is not going to have a huge effect on William Hill, a business that made £1.3 billion in 2020.’

The lawyer also added that his client took medicine for paranoid schizophrenia and had previously been offered a job as a landscaper.

Stonier pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage and was handed a 12-month conditional discharge.

This means the gambler will escape any punishment if he manages to stay out of trouble for a year.

But he will still have to pay the £3,313.30 in compensation along with a £22 victim surcharge.