A CONMAN ordered to hand over almost £20,000 made from crime within six months has been given an extension - because it's Christmas.

Neil Demaline, 38, who lived in Sefton Street, Brierfield, was given until December 22 to pay up the cash or face 11 months behind bars.

This week he was granted more time after his solicitors wrote a letter to the court.

Demaline's lawyers had asked for an extension until January 31, but Judge Beverley Lunt granted it until February 16 because offices closed down over the festive period.

Demaline's only asset was said to have been his house.

The judge had made a confiscation order for £19,146 in June.

Demaline has now served two year-long jail terms, one for nine deception-related offences and one for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Demaline , who formerly worked at RE Lowther Motorcycles Ltd, Brier-field, had applied for loans for bikes which did not exist and was said to have turned to crime in a bid to keep the ailing company afloat.

Burnley Crown Court had heard how the former company director, who netted more than £82,000 from a string of deceptions, later tried to "hoodwink" a judge in a bid to get out of handing over the proceeds of his dishonesty.

He had told "fib after fib" over the sale and repossession of his home and even used different solicitors to try and fool the court, knowing a confiscation hearing was looming, a court was told.

The court had heard Demaline had agreed to sell his house to his current bosses for just over half of what it was worth.

The money was just enough to clear his debts, but left him with no money and no realisable assets.

In September last year, Demaline was sent to prison for a year, after pleading guilty to the deception charges.