A TEENAGER who opened a bank account with just 5p milked it with cheques and debit card transactions to the tune of more than £3,000 in just seven weeks, a court heard yesterday.

Prosecutor Michael Hammond told Harrogate magistrates how Andrew David Walker, 18, used his account at the Halifax on 66 occasions before an end was put to his crime spree.

Walker, of Grantley Place, Harrogate, pleaded guilty to seven charges of obtaining property by deception, one of attempted deception and one of failing to answer bail. He also admitted three charges of making off without paying for petrol, two of driving while disqualified and two of not being insured.

Mr Hammond said Walker had gone to the Halifax and opened an account by depositing five pence.

"He then ran up debts by going on a spending spree which lasted seven weeks."

Walker had used his empty account last November and December to buy a DVD player worth £234.71 and a fridge and vacuum cleaner worth a total of £219.95.

In other transactions he had bought a pedal bike for £99.99 and groceries valued at £152.06. He had also made a series of debit transactions involving more than £650.

Mr Hammond said Walker had a substantial list of convictions for deception and had been out on licence from a young offenders' institution at the time he turned back to crime.

Court chairman Jane Garlick sent Walker to York Crown Court for sentence, where he is expected to be dealt with on March 18. He made no application for bail and was remanded in custody.