A GIFTED Pontypool rugby player has admitted swindling two ex-girlfriends and his former club chaplain out of cash to fund his gambling habit.

Former Pontypool RFC utility player Gareth John Curtis, 24, of Commercial Street, Griffithstown, was committed to crown court for sentence after pleading guilty at Cwmbran magistrates to a string of thefts and fraud amounting to over £18,000.

Curtis, who played nine games for the famous club, also admitted dishonestly using his former girlfriend's credit card to run up huge debts and trying to pay back some of the money with a counterfeit cheque.

His victims included the then club chaplain, Reverend Alfred Williams, who was conned out of £400 after falling for one of Curtis' sob stories.

Curtis, the court heard, hoodwinked his victims out of cash in order to fund his drinking and gambling addictions.

The club last night spoke of its disappointment at the fall of the talented young player.

Arthur Crane, secretary of the club pushing for promotion from the Welsh League, Division One, told the Argus: "He is a local lad who played on and off for us and last played for us a couple of seasons ago.

"He was a utility back, able to play outside half, full back or centre.

"It is all so regrettable, he was a likeable lad and a player who had a really good career ahead of him and it is sad that it's gone the way it has.

"I feel for his plight, his family and the victims."

The court heard how he filled out and returned an application form for a Capital One credit card in the name of his then partner, Non Thomas.

He used the card to steal £250 from Ms Thomas and withdrew a further £80 from a cashpoint, knowing he didn't have the funds in his account.

Curtis then approached a woman called Elaine James, claiming he needed £840 to repay Non Thomas and would be physically harmed if he didn't pay it back.

That same lie was told to the chaplain of Pontypool RFC, until last year, Reverend Williams, who believed him and gave him £400.

He faked an HSBC cheque for £750 made out to Elaine James to cover the majority of the money she gave him.

After his relationship with Non Thomas failed, he began another with Gail Williams and swindled her out of smaller amounts of cash, prosecutor Gareth James told the court.

Mr James said: "He persuaded Gail Williams to tell him her PIN number (personal identification number) and withdrew money from a cashpoint without telling her.

He also persuaded people to lend him money, saying he was going to be sued or threatened with physical violence.

"But he was struggling with alcohol and gambling problems."

Curtis admitted two counts of theft and one of forgery, relating to the fake cheque, and asked for a further 106 similar matters to be taken into consideration.

That amounted to more than £18,000, Mr James said, with other offences also outstanding and unaccounted for.

The magistrates decided their sentencing powers were inadequate to deal with him and committed him to the crown court at a later date.

He was released on bail, on condition that he does not communicate or interfere with prosecution witnesses, resides at his home address and reports to Pontypool police station at 6pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

During his Pontypool RFC career Curtis played five times during October and November 1997, twice in May 1998 and made his two final appearances in September 2000.