A 20-YEAR-OLD former Blackburn man who got caught up as a "mule" in a lucrative credit card 'skimming' racket was sent to Pakistan after threats were made against him and his family following his arrest.

But Blackburn magistrates heard the offences Husman Yousaf had admitted to police had remained on file and he was eventually brought to book four years later.

Yousaf, 24, of Park Street, Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to theft of two bank cards, two charges of obtaining property by deception and one of attempting to obtain property by deception. All the deception charges were committed at shops in Blackburn in June 1998.

He was given a two-year conditional discharge, a £100 fine, ordered to pay £65 compensation and £60 costs .

John Wood, prosecuting, said the credit cards had been created by taking details or skimming and putting them on another card.

Basharat Ditta, defending, said skimming credit cards is big business and people make a lot of money through acts of deception.

"What you have are organised criminal gangs who use mules, stooges like this young man to do their dirty work for them," said Mr Ditta. "These individuals rarely come to the fore and are rarely caught."

Mr Ditta said that at the time of the offences Yousaf was just 20 years old and he had been offered the opportunity to use the cards for small reward.

"When he was arrested it came as a relief and he told the police exactly what had happened," said Mr Ditta. "He didn't answer his bail because the people behind the scam were aware that he had been arrested and names might be named. Threats were made to him and his family and it was decided that the best thing was for him to get out of the way."

He said Yousaf was sent to Pakistan and did not come back until last year when he was re-arrested.

"These proceedings have been an absolute nightmare for my client and his family and they just want to put them behind them," said Mr Ditta. "These were his first offences, committed at a time when he was young and very vulnerable. He now has a family and responsibilities and he has no intention of getting involved in the criminal justice system again."