A BLACKBURN man involved in trying to illegally remove £10,000 from a bank account has been ordered to carry out unpaid community work.

A court heard that the intended target turned up at his bank to learn the shock news that he was overdrawn - when he should have been £4,000 in credit.

The true picture of what had taken place emerged and Jamil Hussain was arrested.

The 22-year-old of Revidge Road, Blackburn, had pleaded guilty to attempted deception. He was ordered to carry out 150 hours' community punishment and pay £200 costs by a judge at Preston Crown Court. Julian Taylor, prosecuting, said it was November 2004 when the account holder turned up at his Nat West Bank in King William Street, Blackburn to withdraw money. "The man found that he was unable to do that as he was overdrawn by six thousand pounds. This surprised him because he thought he was £4,000 in credit.

"He was shown a cheque that had been made out to the defendant, to the Halifax in Blackburn the previous week for £10,000. The man had never written the cheque."

That same day the defendant turned up at the Halifax asking to withdraw £10,000 by a cash order.

He was told he needed documents to prove his identity.

Hussain handed over a typed letter. Staff were suspicious of him and he was again told he would have to show ID before money could be handed over.

The defendant was arrested the following month.

Simon Newell, defending, told the court: "He became embroiled with others. His behaviour was impulsively motivated by financial considerations.

"He was not the prime mover. Nobody has lost any money as a result of this attempt."