A NOTORIOUS betting fraudster who once targeted East Lancashire has been banned for life from three of the country's biggest bookies.

Betting giants William Hill, Ladbrokes and Totesport joined forces to obtain an Anti-Social Behaviour Order on John Bailey, known as the Pencil Man, barring him from all of their shops in England and Wales.

Bailey, 37, of College Road North, Blundellsands, Merseyside, was jailed for three-and-a-half years in 2003 after he made more than £1million through his scam, which involved distracting cashiers and pencilling in bets on stolen slips after races had taken place.

In 1998, he was jailed at Burnley Crown Court for 20 months for eight offences against three bookies, which included attempting to obtain about £10,000 by deception, and in 1995 he targeted Bradlow's Bookmakers - now Stanley Racing in High Street, Rishton.

Since being released from his latest prison sentence, bookies said he had continued to harass their firms by damaging shops, gluing locks, and acting in an intimidating nature towards staff.

The ASBO was granted by South Sefton magistrates after Merseyside police said it was needed to "protect the public and prevent the defendant behaving in an anti-social manner".