A GANG of gamblers travelled to Swansea and cheated a city casino in an illegal “card swapping” betting scam.

Poker player Ozgur Aytekin was spared jail after he and three accomplices swindled cash out of Aspers Casino in Wind Street.

The 34-year-old was caught on CCTV sneaking glances at his playing cards, before passing them under the poker table to his co-defendant.

Swansea Magistrates’ Court heard the foursome had travelled from London to South Wales last August claiming to be visiting the city as tourists.

Prosecutor Patricia Ashford said two of the men were still “at large” while the third was jailed for four weeks after being charged following the offence.

Aytekin, of Southbury Road, Enfield, Middlesex surrendered himself to London police on January 28.

Mrs Ashford said all four men were identified “as engaging in illegal card swapping”.

“The defendant was sitting at the poker table playing three-card poker,” she said.

The male who’s been dealt with, was sitting next to him and standing behind them was a third man who observed the game and also acted as a look out. A fourth man was also part of the team.

“The defendant and the man next to him were seen to regularly have discussions and were seen to show each other their cards while the man at the other end of the table distracted the dealer.”

The duo removed their bottom cards before dropping their arms under the table and swapping them — providing Aytekin with the “winning hand”.

He was then seen to pass his chips to the man standing behind him.

“The casino say they were defrauded in the amount of £75 and a further £425 was recovered at the cash table,” said Mrs Ashford.

Defence Barrister Kate Smith said Aytekin had no previous convictions and the offence had “no level of sophistication”.

“He derived little to no benefit, financial or otherwise in the commission of this offence,” she said.

Miss Smith said Aytekin, who pleaded guilty to cheating at gambling, moved to the UK from Turkey a decade ago and is married with a three-year-old son.

She said he worked in a kebab shop and was the sole bread winner in his family.

When asked by the court clerk what he was doing in Swansea, he replied through an interpreter that he was visiting “as a tourist”.

But presiding magistrate Sonia Walters, sentencing, said the bench believed the offence was “pre-planned” and the men were an “organised gang” who had travelled to Swansea for the purpose of the scam.

Aytekin was sentenced to four weeks in prison suspended for 12 months.

He must also undertake 100 hours unpaid work and pay £85 costs and a £21 compensation.

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