A MAN who absconded from the Iranian air force because of his wife's health dishonestly obtained a £19,000 renovation grant after they moved to the Blackburn area, a court heard.

Mostafa Mobasseri dishonestly obtained a grant in the sum of £19,651.73 from Blackburn with Darwen Council. The money was paid out for an address in Abraham Street, Blackburn. However, he had not declared that he part-owned a fish and chip shop on Railway Road.

Mobasseri, 52, of Eastcott Close, Blackburn, had previously changed his plea to guilty on the dishonesty charge part way through a trial. When he appeared for sentence at Preston Crown Court, barrister Mr Arthur Nuttall said the defendant wholly accepted he was to blame.

It was explained that Mobasseri had absconded from the Iranian air force due to his wife's health. He and his family left the country. Mr Nuttall said: "He is termed a deserter in Iran. He escaped the country, going through Switzerland at one point." The decision to leave followed the Iranian Government's refusal to pay certain bills for his wife's medical treatment. She died around 12 months ago. Mr Nuttall added: "The defendant bitterly regrets that this unhappy matter resulted in him and his wife being charged.

"He has to live with the fact that she died at a time when charged with a criminal offence, for which he ultimately is responsible. That in itself will be a sentence."

The dishonesty arose after he learned that the council were in 1991 considering a compulsory purchase order. One option was renovation as he otherwise stood to lose everything. "The deception resulted from blind panic," added Mr Nuttall. "Everybody in society at some stage is worth one more chance. He is worth it."

Mobasseri was said to have paid privately for his wife's treatment in this country.

Judge Andrew Blake imposed nine months prison, suspended for two years. He told him: "You came within an ace of serving prison. You have had many troubles to bear in recent years."

The judge made a restitution order in the full amount and also told him to pay £585 costs.

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