Adding variants causes 500 internal server error

	function onlineCheck($vat){
		//no online check for php4
		if (extension_loaded('soap')) {
			try{
				$client = new SoapClient("http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/checkVatService.wsdl");
				$vat = strtoupper(str_replace(array(' ','.'),array('',''),$vat));
				$result = $client->checkVat(array('countryCode' => substr($vat, 0, 2), 'vatNumber' => substr($vat, 2)));
				if(empty($result) || !$result->valid) {
					$this->message = JText::_('VAT_NUMBER_NOT_VALID');
				}
			}catch(SoapFault $e) {
				$this->message = $e->__toString();
				$result = false;
			}catch (Exception $e) {
				$this->message = $e->__toString();
				$result = false;
			}
			if ($result === false || empty($result) || !$result->valid ) {
				$app =& JFactory::getApplication();
				if($_REQUEST['tmpl']=='component'){
					hikashop_display($this->message,'error');
				}else{
					$app->enqueueMessage($this->message);
				}
				return false;
			}
		}else{
			$app =& JFactory::getApplication();
			$this->message = JText::_('SOAP_EXTENSION_NOT_FOUND');
			if($_REQUEST['tmpl']=='component'){
				hikashop_display($this->message,'error');
			}else{
				$app->enqueueMessage($this->message);
			}
			return false;
		}
		return true;
	}