Judge has trick up his sleeve for three-card trickster
THREE-CARD trickster Constantin Mandica was handed a three card’ warning by a judge in East London. The illegal street gambler was given a suspended three-month jail term—and a community work order
THREE-CARD trickster Constantin Mandica was handed a three card’ warning by a district judge in East London.
The illegal street gambler was given a suspended three-month jail term—and a community work order he has to carry our free.
Mandica was also warned by district judge Malcolm Reed that he would end up behind bars if he commits any other criminal offence within 12 months.
STREET GAMING
He was caught running his scam in Whitechapel using an overturned bread crate on the pavement as a gaming table, where he would switch three black discs around and gullible punters would be invited to bet on which one had a piece of cardboard hidden underneath. It is a trick no-one ever wins.
Traffic police travelling on a bus along Whitechapel Road spotted the 46-year-old surrounded by a crowd of punters and knew what was going on. They jumped off the bus and hauled him in to Thames Magistrates’ court.
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Mandica got off with a community order and suspended sentence.
The building worker from Romania and living in East Ham, who rooked �20 a time from punters who fell for his three card trickery, had to pay just �75 court costs.