A FORMER RAF man took mail from the sergeants' mess and used the personal details of officers serving abroad to carry out credit card swindles.

Ex-sergeant Peter Jones, 52, who had been a member of the mess at RAF Leeming, was caught on a hidden camera, taking post from pigeon holes, a court heard yesterday.

Most of the mail was for sergeants in the Gulf or the Falklands and Jones obtained credit cards in their names.

Jones, of Lascelles Lane, Northallerton, started offending after leaving the RAF to work for Hunter Aviation at the North Yorkshire base.

The handwriting on his security clearance documents matched those on the credit card application forms, said prosecutor Christine Egerton.

Jones pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court to six counts of deception and theft involving nearly £3,000.

Rod Hunt, defending, said that Jones committed the offences to pay household bills.