A HOMELESS man posing as a wealthy Dutch businessman stayed at a Pickering guest house with no intention of paying, a court has heard.

Raymond Van Wieringen, 23, skipped bail and did not appear at Pickering Magistrates Court yesterday, where he was charged with obtaining £84 of accommodation by deception.

The court was told how Van Wieringen, no fixed address, who had pleaded not guilty at an earlier hearing, moved into Grindale House, Eastgate, Pickering, on July 11 and was "100 per cent believable."

Although Van Wieringen came with no luggage except a mobile phone and continued to wear the same clothes for three days he claimed to be from a wealthy family.

He said he had inherited a Dutch computer business from his father and that his BMW was lent to a friend.

He registered a house in Leeds - which he claimed to rent out - as his address, but this was false. Suspicions were raised when a chamber maid saw documents in his jacket which contradicted his story. Owners Jacqueline and Peter Hornsby confronted Van Wieringen, who left the guest house, only to return later.

"We could not believe he had the nerve to return - we said get out and don't come back.

"It made me very worried and I remained nervous for weeks afterwards," said Mrs Hornsby.

PC Roy Brown, based in Pickering, said Van Wieringen admitted he had no intention of paying. Magistrates issued a warrant for Van Wieringen's arrest.

Updated: 11:08 Wednesday, September 26, 2001