A student who hired a flash car in his brother's name then claimed to police a friend had stolen it almost paid the price with his liberty.

Ibrar Khaliq, 20, who also tried to convince officers he was his brother, had wanted to drive around in a beautiful, expensive car.

He was said to be hard-up but had handed over £1,350 for the BMW convertible.

The defendant's lies could have ended with his friend being locked up, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Khaliq is in the second year of a university course and was said to have a bright future in front of him a judge said he could not believe he had turned to crime.

Judge Brian Carter, QC, told the defendant he did not want to jail him as he did not want to ruin his life, although Khaliq had behaved as though he was ruining it himself.

The judge gave the defendant the maximum 300 hours community service with £600 costs and warned Khaliq: "Never, ever, again come into a criminal court." Khaliq, of Larch Street, Nelson, admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice.