A fraud investigator found that a Dry Doddington man had conned the East Coast Main Line out of more than £10,000 by using fraudulent train tickets.
Robert Adamson, of Summerfield Close in Dry Doddington, admitted four charges of fraud by false representation, one charge of being in possession of an altered train season ticket and one charge of being in possession of 33 altered train tickets.
Daniel Paulson, prosecuting, said staff at Grantham railway station spotted Adamson’s forged season ticket. They contacted police who searched Adamson’s car and home and found 33 altered tickets “dating back several years”.
Adamson, 43, had also been using altered car parking tickets to park at Grantham while he travelled to and from London.
Chris Milligan, defending, told the court a fraud investigator had put the amount of money Adamson’s fraud had cost the East Coast Main Line at £10,596.
Mr Milligan added: “To his credit he has repaid that sum in full. He has had to borrow money to do so and will have to work hard to pay that off.
“He was made redundant in October 2012 from a job where he had put everything into it to the extent it partly contributed to him getting into this awful mess.”
Mr Milligan read a statement by Adamson in which the defendant said the offending had “snowballed out of control”.
The statement also said: “I feel disgusted and humiliated. I am deeply sorry and remorseful for my actions.”
Mr Milligan described the fraudulent acts as “not sophisticated” and “amateurish”. The dates on the ticket were altered with a pen.
Mr Milligan said: “The deception was really down to using a Biro pen and nobody picking it up. On any close inspection by a guard it would have been spotted.”
The case was adjourned until March 13 for pre-sentence reports. Adamson was released on unconditional bail.