A HOTEL worker who skipped the country with nearly £10,000 of Ebor-week takings from a York hotel appeared before city magistrates today.

Prosecutor Mike Duffy described how Herve Christian Di-guisto was working at the Novotel Hotel in Fishergate during the August race week.

Feeling suicidal and knowing that the hotel's takings would be bigger than normal he made black and white one-sided photocopies of £9,500.

He then put the fake £20 notes back in the money bag and fled to Greece with the real money.

Later he returned to Britain and voluntarily gave himself up to police.

In an interview he said his conscience had got to him and his family had found out what he had done, so he came back to face the music.

Di-guisto, 37, currently living at Ings Roads, Wilberfoss, admitted theft. Kevin Blount, for Di-guisto, said it was his client's first offence and one that was bound to be discovered.

He returned to the country of his own free will and made his own way to the police station and handed himself in.

He was suffering from depression at the time of the offence and thought that the crime would enable him to make a new start.

Di-guisto would be more than happy to receive help and support in tackling his problems.

The photocopying was carried out during the evening and night of the theft and it wasn't a particularly sophisticated offence.It was bound to be discovered and he was bound to be suspected.

Magistrates committed him for sentence to York Crown Court after deciding that their powers of sentence were insufficient. He will appear before a judge on March 20 and was released on bail on condition he surrender his French identity card, report to police regularly and live at Wilberfoss.

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