A PROMISING young goalkeeper is behind bars awaiting sentence after admitting a betting shop bomb hoax and robbing a man outside a casino.

Dan Staples, 21, who once played in the Sunderland Academy team, has been in custody for four-and-a-half months since his arrest after the incident at Coral Racing, in Annfield Plain, County Durham.

On July 5, he left what he claimed was an explosive device and a note demanding money at the Front Street premises. The shop and surrounding area was sealed off for four hours.

Bomb disposal experts detonated the package, which was later confirmed as harmless.

Staples, of Harelaw Gardens, in nearby Catchgate, admitted placing an imitation explosive device with intent to induce another to believe it would ignite or explode, plus blackmail, in making an unwarranted demand of money with menaces to a staff member at Coral.

He admitted the allegations at Durham Crown Court on October 24, but at that stage he was facing trial on a charge of robbery, which he denied, stemming from an incident outside a casino in Newcastle.

At the start of his scheduled trial yesterday, he changed his plea to guilty.

It related to him taking a wallet, containing £500, from a man leaving Circus Casino, in Forth Street, at about 4.30am on February 6.

Staples, who was with two other men, said an altercation took place as he claimed the victim had earlier taken some of his gambling chips.

Staples will be sentenced on December 16 after the preparation of reports.

Since leaving Sunderland for Wrexham in 2008, Staples has played at Northern League level for several teams, including Consett and Shildon.