A sales manager cheated his shop out of more than £40,000 to fund his gambling habit, a court heard.

Juned Ali, 27, who was acting sales manager at the T Mobile shop in Keighley town centre, created fraudulent upgrades for existing customers.

When the upgraded phones were delivered to the store, the defendant took them to sell. He also stole handsets from the store.

Prosecutor Camille Morland told Bradford Crown Court yesterday that the customers knew nothing about the upgrades and were not affected financially.

Ali, of Coppy Close, Cottingley, Bingley, pleaded guilty to fraud and theft. The offences took place over a one-month period early in 2012. He purloined 94 upgraded handsets, worth £33,815, as a result of the fraud, and stole 25 more, worth £9,182.

Miss Morland said Ali was given a 30-month prison sentence last year for his part in a £150,000 bank fraud while he was employed by a bank. He was released on licence last month.

Ali was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment suspended for two years, with 200 hours unpaid community work.