Our Safe Bet campaign to be raised in Parliament

Chris Evans MP will talk about the campaign, which the Sutton Guardian launched after the tragic death of North Cheam man Iacovou who was murdered as he worked alone at Ladbrokes in Morden.

During a debate in Westminster Hall in which he will call on the Government to deal with issues caused by single staffing at bookmakers.

Mr Evans, MP for Islwyn in Wales, is a former betting shop worker himself and was alerted to SafeBet by Carshalton and Wallington MP Tom Brake.

He said: "I have called for this debate as I have become concerned that the single staffing of betting shops is making workers vulnerable to incidences of violence and anti-social behaviour.

"I would like to see betting industry figures and ministers get around the table to discuss ways to protect shop workers and ensure that staff are able to deal properly with issues such as problem gambling."

Mr Iacovou, a 55-year-old father-of-three, was bludgeoned to death by 21-year-old homeless gambling addict Shafique Aarij ion May last year during a bungled robbery.

Shafique Aarij

Aarij knew Mr Iacovou, whose wife Anita has backed the SafeBet campaign, would be working alone when he tricked him into opening the door to the secure area behind the counter at the Aberconway Road bookies.

Aarij was given a life sentence in January.

Westminster Hall debates give members the chance to raise issues that are of importance to them in front of other MPs in the hope of gaining enough support to get them raised in the House of Commons.

Today's debate comes in the same week that a masked robber forced a lone worker at Ladbrokes in the Broadway in Stoneleigh to open a safe and hand over cash.

The raider was caught on CCTV entering the shop at 8.50pm Saturday and threatening the member of staff before fleeing with the money in a bum bag.

To watch the debate in Westminster hall, click here from 11am to 11.30am.

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