A GAMBLING cheat who used fake identities to get into casinos he was banned from has been jailed.

Frank Camilleri, aged 61, was sentenced to nine months in prison at Southwark Crown Court on November 26 after previously pleading guilty to eight charges of possessing false identity documents with intent.

The court heard Camilleri, who lived in Derrick Road in Beckenham, was part of an international criminal network and travelled across the world cheating casinos out of thousands of pounds.

He was barred by all the major UK casino operators for cheating, but used false Italian identity documents to gain entry and commit further offences.

Camilleri was caught on CCTV at various central London casinos conducting reconnaissance visits and attempting to sign up for membership using false identities.

Officers from the Met Police’s Human Exploitation and Organised Crime Command searched his house on August 9 and found a large quantity of fake Italian identity documents.

Camilleri was then arrested at Gatwick Airport on August 23 when he arrived on a flight from Malta, where he had been when his home was searched.

Another man, 64-year-old Francesco Baioni, from Primrose Hill in London, was sentenced alongside Camilleri for his part in the criminal operation.

After the sentencing, the chairman of the International Association for Casino Security, David Livermore, said: "Baioni and Camilleri have been known as international casino cheats for more than two decades.

"The International Association for Casino Security has produced evidence in this case showing they have committed similar such offences around the world for many years.”