A FORMER call centre worker who gave a court a bogus character reference from the Pope is now being shunned by friends, magistrates heard yesterday.

Merthyr magistrates court was also told that Julian Evans, 28, of Wyefield Court, Monmouth, is now set to move house after being sentenced for trying to dupe the courts.

Evans had claimed support from the Pontiff in a bid to escape justice after admitting making abusive phone calls to staff at the T-Mobile call centre in Merthyr.

But the plan failed and Judge Curran ordered Evans to serve a two-year community rehabilitation order at Merthyr Tydfil crown court last month for his actions.

Yesterday, Evans had another two-year community rehabilitation order imposed to run concurrently to the existing order for making the abusive phone calls and e-mails. David Pugh, prosecuting, said Evans went for an induction day at the call centre after which he told managers he wasn't sure whether he wanted the job.

Evans later changed his mind and rang the call centre to say he would take the job after all only to be told the position was no longer available.

Over the next two days, Evans sent five abusive e-mails and two abusive calls to Christine Davies and Gillian Rowlands of T-Mobile.

Mr Pugh said Evans called Ms Davies an "evil and manipulative bitch". In a separate call to Ms Rowlands, the court heard, Evans told her that she was only taking her course of action because she was homophobic.

Mr Pugh said Evans also told her that she was the most evil person he had met in his life and that he was putting a curse on her family.

Neil Foley, defending, said: "I'm instructed to convey to the court from Mr Evans his apologies to those people who were affected by his actions in what he can only describe as 48 hours of madness where his life was turned upside down."

Mr Foley said Evans' personal life had suffered since the court case and he now has to rely on incapacity benefit because he of an illness.

Chairwoman of the magistrates, Mean Brown. said: "These offences are serious Mr Evans and must have been unpleasant for the victims."

In addition to the community rehabilitation order, Evans was ordered to pay £35 in costs.