A Scottish teenager has admitted fraudulently booking international flights and hotel stays while working for Thomson in Perth.
Reece Scobie exploited access to the agency’s booking system to fund a jet-set lifestyle spending more than £70,000, Perth Sherriff Court heard.
The 19-year-old booked international flights to destinations including Dubai, Auckland, New York and Vancouver, the BBC reported.
The court heard how he was carrying out the fraud having only worked for Thomson for a few months and even having left the company was still able to access the booking system.
On one of his trips he accessed the back office of another firm, Cambridge Business Travel, after a previous user of a computer in a British Airways airport lounge failed to log off properly.
He used the company’s system to book flights to Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Abu Dhabi and Singapore.
While under investigation Scobie managed to convince court staff using fake documents to return his confiscated passport, claiming he had been given a job in travel.
He was first arrested in January this year after irregularities with a booking caused his return flight from Los Angeles to be cancelled.
The BBC reported that Scobie has admitted two charges of fraud by obtaining services, flights and accommodation while employed at Thomson.
He also admitted to booking further flights and hotel room on the company’s system using passwords between July 2011 and January 2012.
He further admitted access the systems of Cambridge Business Travel and booking flights in January last year.
Scobie’s defence lawyer told the court his client understood the risk that he would be sent to jail but said he had been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome.
Sentencing was deferred pending psychiatric and restriction of liberty reports.