A NORTH Yorkshire teenager who clocked up almost 50 offences during a 15-month crime spree - using discarded bankcard details for many of them - was behind bars today.

Emma Harle, 19, was sent to a young offenders' institution for three months by Harrogate magistrates yesterday after admitting nine deceptions and asking for six more to be considered.

She also pleaded guilty to failing to answer bail and breaching a probation order imposed last March for five thefts, nine deceptions and forgery and had a conditional discharge in May for one deception and three attempted deceptions with 13 more offences taken into account.

Harle, of Aspin Gardens, Knaresborough, was said by prosecutor Sue Kerr to have paid a phone bill for more than £740 and bought £300 worth of hair extensions by fraud. She had even tried to pay £20 off her court bill for fines, costs and compensation.

Mrs Kerr said a lot of Harle's offending had been while she worked at Harrogate's Army Foundation College, using details taken from a soldier's debit card receipt to get goods and services worth £1,208.

While staying in the Belmont Hotel, Harrogate, Harle used another guest's credit card receipt details to buy hair extensions.

In mitigation Geoffrey Rogers said until 15 months ago Harle had never been inside a court. Her sudden ''catalogue of offending'' began when she used her parents' account to obtain goods on the internet while they were on holiday.

When she moved into rented accommodation there were further crimes, but she was now back with parents who were standing by her. Harle had been living a lifestyle which was beyond her means and did not have the money to fund her debts.

Harle, who had been planning to take a college course in sociology, had spent a week in custody awaiting the hearing. ''She was devastated by that. She would not come out of her room and did not eat anything and there were concerns for her,'' said Mr Rogers.

Updated: 12:41 Friday, January 10, 2003