A BURGLAR who stole £42,000 worth of property and caused £22,000 damage to help his girlfriend flee from Pakistan has escaped jail.

Catholic Patrick Roach fell in love with Muslim Fizza Khan but her parents went beserk when they found out she was seeing a white man. And when she became pregnant her mother lured her into going to Pakistan, claiming her father had suffered a heart attack.

Once there she discovered her father was fine but she claimed she was drugged and an abortion carried out. Roach ran up huge mobile phone bills keeping in touch with her.

He also tried to pay for lawyers to try and get her out of Pakistan and when he couldn't pay he turned to crime.

Roach, aged 20, of Stout Street, Leigh, admitted four charges of burglary and asked for 13 others to be taken into consideration.

But at Bolton Crown Court Judge Ian Hamilton took pity on the couple and decided against jailing Roach. He was

sentenced to a two year Community Rehabilitation Order coupled with a 100 hour Community Punishment Order.

Prosecutor Ann Hughes said Roach burgled businesses in Leigh, including adult education offices at Turnpike House. At Woolworths he entered through a skylight and unbolted security bars and later burgled Clinton Cards.

Fingerprints were found and when Roach was arrested he admitted to four burglaries and asked for 13 to be taken into consideration. Only £900 worth of stolen goods were recovered.

Defending Philip Martin said the couple had been like Romeo and Juliet and Roach had tried to act like a knight in shining armour. He feared for Fizza's safety.

He said the couple were still together and Roach had converted to Islam but the relationship would never be accepted by his girlfriend's family.