A MAN who duped football clubs out of match tickets to the tune of about £1,000 has gone to jail for eight months.

Jobless Paul Wilkinson, 29, had hit on the idea of making phone orders after getting his hands on credit card receipts - in a scheme described by his solicitor as "astoundingly easy".

He then struck at Blackburn Rovers, Burnley and Bolton Wanderers, Burnley magistrates heard.

Father of six, Wilkinson, of Wordsworth Avenue, Padiham, was also banned from driving for 18 months and given eight penalty points.

He admitted six charges of deception, driving while disqualified, theft, making false representation and was convicted in his absence of no insurance, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and no test certificate.

John Wood, prosecuting, told the court when Wilkinson's home was searched, receipts were found from credit cards.

He had taken details from the receipts. Wilkinson obtained almost £400 worth of tickets from Blackburn Rovers and the club's suspicions were aroused by the number of tickets ordered.

He then went on to hire a car, using somebody else's driving licence and credit card details from a receipt.

Wilkinson also got match tickets from Burnley and Bolton Wanderers.

He was arrested when he turned up at a club to collect tickets.

Roger Pickles, defending, said Wilkinson had hit upon the idea of getting credit card details.

It was "astoundingly easy" to commit the deception offences.

The defendant, one of whose children was disabled, expected a custodial sentence.

In a perverse sense, he had been "refreshingly honest", co-operated with police and admitted what he had done.

Wilkinson was released from prison last December and had been unable to get a job.

He had hit on the idea of the credit card receipts as he saw it effectively as a victimless crime and a good way to make money.

He thought it was not as bad as burglary on the scale of crime.

Mr Pickles added: "His partner and children are going to suffer with the loss of liberty of the defendant. He has learned a lesson.

"There are no easy crimes, there are no victimless crimes. He was arrested. He will face his punishment."

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