A LONDON-based company director discovered the address of his firm had been "hijacked" and moved to a location more than 100 miles away, a jury was told.

Lincoln Crown Court heard business consultant Michael Carder found out his registered offices had changed to premises in Castle Donington, Leicestershire, without his permission.

It is alleged Lincoln businessman Michael Kirkby stole the identity of existing firms to carry out a mobile phone fraud by registering bogus new addresses with Companies House.

Kirkby, who has been living in Mexico, then allegedly ordered dozens of new mobile phones and BlackBerrys, which he went on to sell using his own eBay account.

A jury heard Mr Carder became aware of unauthorised debts with two mobile phone companies following the change of his company's address.

In a statement read to the court, Mr Carder, whose offices were actually located in Islington, North London, confirmed he did not authorise the change of his firm's address or the mobile phone transactions.

The jury heard investigations later showed a "virtual office" had been set up in Mr Carder's name at a legitimate managed business premises in Castle Donington.

Telecommunications sales consultant Alexandra Richards discovered a similar problem after being contacted by a man claiming to be from Rugby-based firm Beaver Valley Ltd, the jury heard.

In her statement, Miss Richards said she decided to make some inquiries of her own with Companies House after being asked to send 17 mobile phones to an address in Stamford.

Miss Richards said: "For some reason I did some research of my own.

The jury was told Miss Richards discovered the firm's registered address had recently been changed and that the signature with Companies House was different to that used to sign for the phones.

Miss Richards said: "Realising I had been the victim of a deception, I did not deliver the phones.

Kirkby, 37, formerly of Stocking Way, Carlton Boulevard, Lincoln, denies seven charges of deception, one attempted deception, four charges of fraud, seven charges of using a false instrument with intent and 12 charges of converting criminal property.

The offences are alleged to have occurred on dates between February 2006 and January 2008.

The trial continues.