A JOBLESS father of four who gave false details when he tried to rent a £600 a month flat with his girlfriend has been spared from jail.

Former wine bar owner Richard Edgehill, 32, had "fanciful and unrealistic aspirations" when he gave false details to a letting agency and the couple then purported to hand over a valid cheque - which turned out to be stolen, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Edgehill, now reunited with his common-law wife and family while his former partner ended up pregnant and in jail, was given 60 hours community service.

Judge Raymond Bennett said he fully expected to see his record contained previous convictions for deception, but fortunately that was not the case.

He went on: "Landlords are entitled to know that information given them on appropriate forms for tenancies is true. There had to be punishment."

Edgehill, then of Earl Street, Colne, admitted attempting to obtain services by deception.

Nick Simmonds, prosecuting, said Edgehill's girlfriend was to fill in the form, but she was not acceptable to credit organisations. When the cheque for the deposit was presented for payment, it was not honoured.

Rod Priestly, defending, said the Edgehill had "fanciful and unrealistic aspirations" when he and his girlfriend tried to get the flat in Wilmslow.

At the time, Edgehill had no job, but it had been his intention to get work.

He had a good work record and formerly owned a wine bar. The girlfriend provided the stolen cheque.

Edgehill thought the girlfriend could finance the property on her salary and inheritance from her father who had recently died.

He did not know she had lost her job, as she purported to go out to work each day. He thought they would be able to pay the rent.

Mr Priestly said at the time Edgehill had "gone off the rails."

He had left his family but had now returned to them and was working as a bar superviser.

He went on: "The defendant has now returned to reality. He has entered a period of stability that he had before the collapse of the wine bar business."

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