A SECURITY guard who stole a blank cheque from a company was spared prison but his brother who tried to make almost £8,000 out of it was jailed.

Burnley magistrates heard how Raheel Mohammed, 28, was supposed to be guarding Smurfit Corrugated Packaging, Edward Street, Nelson.

Instead, he cut the cheque and stub out of a book. His brother Naheem, 27, later got hold of it, made it out in the sum of £7,800 and put it into his bank account The money was at first credited to his account but bank workers then realised what had happened.

Raheel Mohammed, of Pendle Street, Nelson, admitted theft from his employer, between last June and July.

The defendant, who had a previous conviction for theft, was given six months in prison, suspended for a year, with 220 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £100 costs.

Father-of-three Naheem Moha-mmed, of Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, admitted handling stolen goods and obtaining property by deception. He had a record for theft and dangerous driving and had served three years in jail. He was sent to custody for six months.

John Rusius, defending, said father-of-one Raheel had prided himself on his work record in the past. He would say he saw a drawer open and succumbed to temptation.

For Naheem Mohammed, Mr Rusius said the defendant had a longer record than his co-defendant, but his last offence of dishonesty was some years ago.

His actions had been opportunist.