A BUILDER who falsified invoices for work on a cottage in a Dales beauty spot has been ordered by a judge to use his professional skills to do unpaid work for the community.

Father-of-three Miroslav Nemet ripped off a customer to the tune of £2,000 when renovating a house in Beamsley, Bradford Crown Court heardon Thursday.

Nemet, 36, of Duchy Drive, Heaton, Bradford, pleaded guilty to fraud on the day he was to stand trial.

The court heard he was working for Shafiq Chohan when he overcharged him for building materials by falsifying invoices, between July 1, 2012, and August 14, 2012.

Nemet's barrister, Ken Green, said he had no previous convictions in the UK or his native Slovakia.

There was a dispute with the client about payment for earlier work carried out at the cottage.

Nemet had given up doing building work and was now employed as a butcher.

Judge Colin Burn sentenced him to a 12-month community order with 180 hours of unpaid work and £500 costs.