A MOBILE phone salesman topped up his meagre wage by forging customer contracts and cashing in on the commission, a court heard.

Brian Yarker, 59, was a self-employed phone salesman at Cellular City, in Gateshead, when customers realised that they were bound by contracts they had not signed, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The court was told that Mr Yarker had forwarded the forged contracts to Hutchison Telecom to gain commission.

Penny Moreland, prosecuting, said that Mr Yarker earned £800-a-month if he managed to make £1,000 profit for the company. He was entitled to further commissions for every extra £1,000 he made on top of that.

She said: "The amount of money he earned was determined by the amount of money brought in."

The court heard that three customers came forward in the summer of 1999 to say that their signatures had been forged on air-time contracts.

Miss Moreland said: "Mr Yarker signed names of customers without them knowing or permitting him to do it."

Mr Yarker of Littleboy Drive, Thornaby, denies nine charges of forgery in May and October 1999 and three charges of using a false instrument with intent between May and July of the same year.

He claims he was authorised to put the customers' names on the contracts.

The trial continues.