Ticket tout invented names for profit

A TOUT used false names such as Dr Rick Bowels, Mr Sinatra, Mr Rhubarb and Mr Gravy to apply for official England and Manchester United tickets and then sold them on for profit, a court heard yesterday.

Suhail Patel, 24, invented hundreds of names in multiple applications for membership of the two official supporter schemes.

Patel, of Blackburn, Lancashire, would go to the matches himself with family and friends but would sell on the vast majority of tickets acquired.

Police have since advised football clubs to close the loophole which enabled unlimited purchases.

Preston Crown Court heard Patel spent £20,130 (€21,500) on 443 tickets for England home internationals and £8,940 (€9,500) on 223 tickets for Manchester United home games in the 2007/08 season.

The defendant claimed he made a profit of £14,000 (€14,900) but the prosecution said investigators had been unable to account for £96,000 (€102,000) which passed through his bank in the concerned period.

Experts estimated that Manchester United tickets could fetch up to five times their face value on the black market, while England games could be sold at six times their original worth.

Judge Edward Slinger adjourned sentencing until June 17 for further financial checks to be carried out.