A HOMELESS Gulf War veteran booked into hotels across North Yorkshire and fled without paying, a court heard yesterday.

Stuart Pickering, 58, admitted five charges of obtaining services by deception and one charge of making off without payment when he appeared before magistrates.

A court heard that he ran up bills totalling nearly £800 during a month-long spree in November and last month.

Pickering stayed at St James House, in Thirsk, for four nights and the Sundial Hotel, in Northallerton, for seven nights.

On each occasion, he left without paying.

He was arrested on New Year's Eve after staff at Stilworth House, in Helmsley, became suspicious.

Pickering had previously deceived two guesthouses in Cambridgeshire and Nottinghamshire.

On one occasion he climbed down a fire escape to avoid paying.

He also left without paying at Morrison's, in Boroughbridge, after filling up his car with £37 worth of petrol.

Pickering, of no fixed address, had been held in custody until yesterday's hearing at Northallerton Magistrates' Court.

In mitigation, his solicitor, Charles Shirtcliffe, said Pickering - who served with the RAF during the Gulf War - has been suffering from depression and has an alcohol problem.

He said Pickering had been left homeless when he split up with his girlfriend and did not have enough money to pay for the accommodation.

"He has gone on a Bonnie and Clyde ramble around the country for a couple of months, with the predictable conclusion that he would eventually be found out," said Mr Shirtcliffe.

"He did stay at a number of places that he did pay."

District Judge Martin Walker said the offences were persistent, pre-planned and involved significant sums of money.

"We are not talking specifically about a man who is using accommodation as an emergency," he said. "He is a man who has enjoyed the benefits of all the facilities."

He sentenced Pickering to a one-year community order with a supervision requirement. He also ordered him to pay back the money he owed.

Three of the hoteliers attended the hearing.

Judge Walker told them: "You will appreciate that it may take quite a long time before you see your money. Whether you see it eventually in its entirety is another matter."