Two gambling addicts went on a £20,000 rampage of destruction in a betting shop after failing in a bid to self-exclude themselves from the premises, a court heard.

Aaron Cawley, 27, of Blenheim Square, Cheltenham, and John Dymock, 31, of Surrey Avenue in the town, admitted doing criminal damage to Ladbroke's in Winchcombe street, Cheltenham, on 10th December 2016.

They smashed up wall-mounted TV screens and attacked fixed odds betting machines in a wanton spree that was caught on CCTV in the bookies.

Before the attack, they had asked the manager of the bookies if they could sign forms to self-exclude themselves so they could avoid the temptation to gamble, Gloucester Crown Court heard.

But when they were told they would need photos of themselves before they could be excluded they attacked the machines.

Prosecutor Charley Pattison told Judge Ian Lawrie QC that the shop had to close for two days to repair the damage. The loss of profits was estimated at £23,000.

The judge imposed eighteen month community orders on both men.

Dymock was ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work and to attend 15 rehabilitation activity sessions to address his gambling addictions.

Cawley, a convicted football hooligan, was ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work, attend 11 rehabilitation activity sessions, and to attend a 30 day thinking skills programme.

The judge did not order them to pay any compensation because they do not have the means to pay.

The prosecutor played the CCTV footage of the incident, and the judge remarked: "We've just seen, very vividly, two bad losers."

The shop manager, Adam Hurley, had seen the two men enter the premises at 6.30pm.

After half an hour, the two men approached Mr Hurley and asked to self-exclude themselves.

He explained that they would need to supply passport sized photos.

The prosecutor said after a further 30 minutes, the men approached him again.

This time they asked: "If we smash this place up, will you exclude us then?"

Mr Hurley told them they just needed to provide passport sized photos.

Instead the two men began their wrecking campaign.

The prosecutor said that Dymock smashed 12 screens on the video walls, and Cawley ripped a screen from the wall and pushed a coffee machine over.

Ms Pattison said that in an area called 'greyhound corner' three further screens were smashed, and it was believed to be Cawley that was responsible, as this was not captured on CCTV.

Amazingly, one couple played on, undeterred by the chaos around them

Mr Hurley said in his statement: "In all the time I have worked in the industry, this is the first time I have had to deal with such a serious incident."

Representing both men, Alison Gurden said Cawley had been suffering with depression and was not able to work, but had taken an HNC in computers.

Dymock was the main carer for his children, who she said have 'complex problems'.

The court heard that both men had now successfully self excluded from betting shops.

The judge told the pair "Your behaviour was inexcusable. You were both drunk and reacted badly to losing. Two poor, drunk, losers. Bring some order to your lives. Address your gambling problems."