A MAN opened a bogus business bank account with a £1 deposit and then used the cheque book to buy goods worth nearly £400, a court was told.
Blackburn magistrates heard that other cheques from the book were used by another man who had been the driving-force behind the offence.
And Richard Prew, defending, said it 'beggared belief' that a bank would issue a cheque book without any proof, especially on a business account.
Christopher Harry Holden, 34, of Birch Hall Avenue, Darwen, pleaded guilty to obtaining property by deception and asked for three similar offences to be taken into consideration. He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months.
Mr Prew said his client had been under duress from another man to open the account and obtain the cheque book.
"He was threatened with physical violence and while the level of the threats does not amount to a defence, it does go some way to explaining his actions," said Mr Prew.
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