A MAN ran up telephone bills of more than #1250 in an attempt to
uncover alleged irregularities at a computer firm.
Ian Gomeche made nearly 300 phone calls in the space of six weeks
during his investigations, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told yesterday.
Gomeche, 43, of Dunlin Court, Portlethen, Aberdeen, was trying to
contact a local businessman involved in a computer firm.
The firm's premises were in a building shared by a development company
and a nightclub which Gomeche kept phoning.
The volume of calls began to affect other businesses and eventually
the police were called in.
Gomeche admitted three charges of breaching the peace by persistently
phoning the nightclub owner and two telephonists at the development
company.
His not-guilty pleas to nine other breach of the peace charges,
including one of threatening to ''fire bomb'' the city nightclub, were
accepted by the Crown.
''It was simply the fact that he was never off the phone,'' said
depute-fiscal Sandra MacRoberts.
''He decided to have a look at what was going on and was not happy
with the answers he was getting.
''In his zeal to pursue his investigations, he made too many phone
calls,'' explained his lawyer Mr Mark Harrower.
''He uncovered a lot of information and handed it on to Grampian
Police and trading standards officers,'' added Mr Harrower.
Gomeche, who worked for a computer firm in London until forced to
leave in 1985 because of ill-health, had managed to recover some money
for an individual as a result of his inquiries.
''His suspicions were well founded but his actions were over zealous.
There were no threats of violence to these people but because of the
issues he became wrapped up in it,'' said Mr Harrower.
Sheriff Alexander Pollock deferred sentence on Gomeche for six months
to be of good behaviour.
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