A householder who travelled to Pakistan to marry returned to Bradford to find a building labourer had installed himself a £3,715 fitted kitchen at his expense.

Qasaim Masud, who was working at Saleem Raza’s home, fraudulently used Mr Raza’s business account at Howdens Joinery, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

Mr Raza returned to his home at Hampton Place, Idle, Bradford, to find the invoice for the kitchen waiting for him, prosecutor Sharon Amesu said.

Masud, 28, of Central Avenue, Little Horton, pleaded guilty on the day of his trial to dishonestly claiming he was Mr Raza to obtain the kitchen.

Miss Amesu said Masud advised Mr Raza to open trade accounts at various local businesses when he was doing building work for him at his home, beginning in December, 2011.

Mr Raza always ordered items needed for the job himself when Masud told him what was required.

The court heard that an employee at Howdens identified Masud as the person who ordered a kitchen in Mr Raza’s name and arranged for it to be delivered to his own address.

Miss Amesu said the loss caused by the fraud had fallen on Howdens and the firm was claiming compensation.

In mitigation, it was said that Masud, a married man with two children, was now unemployed.

Judge Peter Benson sentenced Masud to a 12-month community order, with 100 hours of unpaid work. He ordered him to pay £1,000 compensation to Howdens towards the kitchen’s cost.