A gambler who tricked his mother and two girlfriends out of more than £100,000 to feed his habit has been warned he faces a prison sentence.

Kevin Thompson, 38, is accused of telling the women a catalogue of lies to get his hands on the cash.

He told his mother, Christine Duberry, he needed the money following the death of a friend, which was untrue.

Between February 2005 and August 2006 Thompson obtained £66,450 from his mother.

He talked former girlfriend Tracey Chant into give him £6,850 by claiming he could pay back the cash.

Thompson also persuaded Gail Wills, with whom he is still in a relationship, to give him £800 by claiming his daughter urgently needed the money and that he could repay her.

At Lewes Crown Court yesterday Thompson admitted four charges of deception.

Robert Acheson, prosecuting, said: "Over £100,000 has been tricked out of three ladies very close to him."

Rebecca Upton, defending, said Thompson had been able to pay back some of the cash from a corporate ticket business he was running.

However, he was no longer working because he was suffering from chronic depression, she said.

Judge Richard Hayward told Thompson he faces going to jail.

He said Thompson had "fleeced" his own mother out of a substantial amount of money.

He said: "Prison is where he is going to go. Having a gambling habit is not an excuse for taking your own mother to the cleaners."

The case was adjourned until April 3 when the court will hear evidence to confirm any money that has been paid back by Thompson, before he is sentenced.

Thompson, now living in Croydon, has lived in Eastbourne, St Leonards and Pevensey.

He was granted bail.

In 2003 Thompson was jailed for three years at Lewes Crown Court after admitting stealing £8,000 worth of fertiliser from the firm where he worked as sales manager to pay off his gambling debts.

Thompson, who had been earning £25,000 a year, also admitted fraudulently obtaining £30,000 from friends.

The court heard that in 2002 he had gambled almost every day, betting nearly £50,000 and collecting winnings of £37,000.