A MAN who lied about being violently robbed in a bid to claim up to £1,000 in government handouts was today slammed for wasting police time.

Rikki Burke, 22, of Pilmuir Road, Longshaw, Blackburn, told detectives he had been coshed over the head by two Asian men, who pinned him down and stole his mobile phone.

Burke's claim came at a time when officers were investigating a series of violent street robberies in the town.

But officers said they became suspicious after finding no sign of an injury on the back of his head, where he claimed the blunt weapon had struck him.

And as they probed his story further, they found more anomalies.

Officers said they confronted Burke with the information two days later and he admitted he had lied to claim a 'crisis loan' from the government because of the effects of his 'ordeal'.

Instead of a cash windfall, he was charged with wasting police time.

Burke appeared before Blackburn magistrates this week and was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

DC Dave Kerry of Blackburn CID said: "Investigating bogus reports of crimes such as this wastes a lot of police time and we will come down very hard on those people who choose to waste our time in this way.

"Those people who are found to report crimes for their own gain will be prosecuted.

"I hope this sends a clear message to anyone tempted of reporting crimes just to receive a number to satisfy fraudulent claims."

Crisis loans of up to £1,000 are given by the Department for Social Security in exceptional cases for people who do not have enough money to meet their needs.