This picture proves tragic David Gest was battling with his gambling habit two years before he died – as he is seen stuffing a fruit machine with notes.
The late reality TV star splashed thousands of pounds in the months leading up to his death, racking up debts of almost half a million.
This photo, taken on a summer night in 2014, shows Gest pouring money into a fruit machine at the now-closed Grosvenor casino in New Brighton, Merseyside.
He spent at least an hour and a half emptying his pockets at the casino and was surrounded by women as he did so, one eyewitness said.
Paul Hurley, 69, who was having a drink with his wife, said Gest was feeding notes into the machine each time, rather than coins, and seemed “happy”.
He said: “He was in there surrounded by middle-aged women. He seemed to be putting five pound notes in each time.
“We were there for an hour and a half or so and he was on that machine the whole time. I think he had a show in Liverpool that night.
“He was staking rather large bets on the machine and seemed to be winning. I think he was doing quite well because he seemed to be happy.
“He had all these women around him cheering him on as he played. We wouldn’t dream of putting five pound notes into a fruit machine but he was using lots of them.”
