A FRAUDSTER who faked wage slips in order to get a mortgage on a house has avoided jail.

Roland Palla, of Crotch Crescent, Marston, Oxford, had already admitted the single count of fraud by false representation.

At his sentencing at Oxford Crown Court yesterday the court heard how the 40-year old had sought to take out a mortgage at a detached Marston house valued at £350,000.

Despite having enough of a household income for the application with bank Santander to be approved, he realised that his wife's self-employed status might cause problems.

In order to get through the application process an unnamed individual in London was tasked with creating forged wage slips which showed that his wife was an employee rather than self-employed.

Despite the act of mortgage fraud which took place on October 3 2014 the amount of income earned was not falsified, the court heard, and it was purely the employed status which was altered.

Palla also remains at the house, having now legally taken out a second mortgage, and has never missed a mortgage payment.

Prosecuting, Tim Boswell, said: "He takes responsibility and it is nothing to do with his wife.

"The wage slips did accurately represent the financial position, it just states employee rather than self-employed."

Ultimately, Palla was given an eight months jail term, suspended for 12 months.

He must also carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.