A SOPHISTICATED Internet fraud brought Garry Jay more than £500 in a matter of days, a court heard yesterday.

Jay, 48, offered non-existent items, including antiques and DVDs on an Internet auction site and "sold" them to the highest bidder, Sarah Tyrer, prosecuting, told Harrogate magistrates.

He cashed cheques totalling £526 over a ten-day period last July after bidders bought seven items he advertised on the eBay website. He paid the cheques into his bank as quickly as possible to cut the risk of them being stopped.

Mrs Tyrer said Jay, of Lincoln Grove, Harrogate, had seen lots offered for sale on the site and, after they had been sold, had downloaded written details and photographs. He used the details to offer them for sale under his own name.

They included Star Trek DVDs, a Wedgwood teapot and an 18th Century porcelain tea jar.

Jay's fraud was uncovered when he accepted a bid of £1,435 for rare Royal Doulton figurines. When the bidder's suspicions were aroused, he stopped the cheque and police were called in.

Jay pleaded guilty to seven charges of obtaining money by deception and one of attempted deception.

The case was adjourned until January 28 for probation reports to be prepared.