A SHIFT manager at a Dunfermline fast food restaurant stole more than £1,000 of takings to feed his gambling addiction.

Mohammed Shoaib, 50, had promised Pizza Hut colleagues he would repay the money but later texted them saying he "had not had much luck" to obtain the money he owed.

Appearing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday, he admitted stealing a quantity of money on February 12, 2016, at Pizza Hut on Turnstone Road.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia said Shoaib, of Locke Grove, Motherwell, was a shift manager at the outlet and part of his duties included cashing up at the end of the working day and securing the day's takings into a safe.

This had been his responsibility on the Friday night when the theft took place and the following Monday morning, the area manager had been checking takings when she noticed that day's were missing.

"Subsequent enquiries indicated the takings should have been £1,010," he told the court. "She then sent the accused a text about the missing cash and received a reply back from the accused saying that he would check the pockets of his uniform but did not reply after that."

Shoaib then sent the general manager a text stating that his gambling addiction "continues to haunt" him and said they should get around £700 from wages from the 60 hours he had worked that week and a tax refund he was due.

He then offered to repay the balance within two weeks and apologised for the inconvenience caused.

A second text was then sent saying: "I have not had much luck in the last five days to obtain the £1K I owe you" and the theft was reported to the police.

Defence solicitor Gordon Martin said Shoaib was under the impression that his former employees had taken money that had been due to him as part of the repayment.

Sheriff Charles Macnair said he required evidence of any voluntary repayment as it could "tip the balance one way" when deciding a punishment.

He further deferred sentencing until April 17 for this to be provided.