A 20-year-old former mobile phone salesman could face prison after he created nearly 50 ghost customers to help him steal £13,000.

The fraud carried out by Alexander Papadatos, of Albion Close, Fareham, was made worse because it was carried out repeatedly, was carefully planned, involved a significant amount of money and was an abuse of trust, a court heard.

Fareham Magistrates’ Court was told how he found a way of overriding the automated system and invented “fake customers” to give them free upgrades but kept the new handsets himself.

He did this on as many as 46 occasions from December last year to April this year when a company security check revealed his crimes.

He sold the phones to friends and on internet sites and admitted making £13,000 – thought to be more than his actual wage.

Papadatos, a sales assistant for 3 Stores in Portsmouth, claimed he needed the money to pay off his debts. He admitted the offence when he was interviewed by the company and later by police on the company premises.

However, he said the money was gone.

Defence solicitor Stephen Tricker said Papadatos had no previous convictions and was of good character.

He said that any prison term should only be given by way of a suspended sentence.

However prosecutor Wendy McGuiney said had Papadatos not been caught, the crime may still have been going on.

Papadatos pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud by abuse of position and the case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report.

He will be back in court next month when magistrates will decide if he will be sentenced by them or if the case should be passed on to the crown court.