A GRANDFATHER has been prosecuted for making two indecent telephone calls to a teenager.It is the second time that Brian Walker has been convicted of making nuisance calls.

By Tracey Sparling

A GRANDFATHER has been prosecuted for making two indecent telephone calls to a teenager.

It is the second time that Brian Walker has been convicted of making nuisance calls.

When he appeared before magistrates this week, Walker admitted abuse of a telephone system between March 11 and May 14.

The 65-year-old, of Church Close, Bucklesham, twice rang a sixth former's home to ask what colour underwear she was wearing, prosecutor Lesla Small told magistrates.

South East Suffolk Magistrates' court heard the calls were made at 3.45 pm after victim had just got home from school.

The victim didn't know the caller and hung up.

An earlier court hearing told Walker had got the telephone number from the directory, although there was no suggestion he had got the number from his wife's contacts.

Magistrates were told Walker – who hung his head in shame throughout the court hearing – was convicted of a similar offence in 1997.

In June, 1997, The Evening Star told how Walker's career as a senior Co-op executive was in tatters after he resigned, following his conviction for plaguing check-out assistants with telephone calls. He worked as a Co-op administration manager at the time, when his conviction for making the calls to three female colleagues was revealed. He had admitted the crime, which was detected by police and BT engineers tapping the phone line of one of his victims. He was put on probation for 12 months and ordered to pay £300 compensation to each victim.

In court this week, solicitor Hugh Rowland, mitigating, said each call lasted about 15 seconds, but were upsetting to the victim. Walker offered to write a letter of apology, which she refused to accept.

He told the court Walker was sorry for what he had done and had been seeking help. He was on medication.

Rowland passed letters to the bench, which included one from his wife's GP, which indicated he is suffering from his actions.

Rowland pointed out Walker was supported by his family in court – although his wife did not appear.

He said: "He knows he is on thin ice as far as his family is concerned."

Bench chairman Bernard Hindes sentenced Walker to three years community rehabilitation order on condition that he addresses his psychiatric difficulties and 100 hours community punishment.

He was ordered to pay £250 compensation to the victim and £118 prosecution costs.