Disgraced snooker star Stephen Lee in court over cue fraud

Details of Lee’s fall from grace came to light after he pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud at Swindon Magistrates’ Court over the sale of his personal snooker cue.

The court heard Lee, 39, of Birch Gardens, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, agreed to sell his John Parris Ultimate to fan Marco Fai Pak Shek, based in Hong Kong, through Facebook for £1,600.

But despite Mr Shek paying the money into the bank account of Lee’s wife, the cue never arrived – and Lee continued to use it.

Lee insisted meant to send the cue but was distracted after becoming “embroiled in a number of difficulties” relating to his professional life.

Earlier this month, Lee was ordered to pay a total of £125,000 in costs after failing in his appeal to overturn a 12-year ban from snooker for match fixing.

Lee was handed the ban after a 2013 tribunal found him guilty of fixing seven games in 2008 and 2009.

Today magistrates ordered Lee to pay £1,815 after he entered a guilty plea to the charge of fraud.

Lee was fined £110 for the offence and told to pay Mr Shek £1,600 in compensation, along with £85 prosecution costs and a £20 victim surcharge.