A hotel employee who inflated his income to rent a cottage in Doddington belonging to High Sheriff of Kent, Richard Oldfield, has been ordered to do 80 hours community work and pay £250 costs.

Paul Lombardi, 54, who still lives at Slatters Hotel, St Margarets Street, Canterbury while the hotel is being refurbished appeared for sentence at Canterbury Crown Court having admitted obtaining services by deception between February 15, 2004 and April 1, 2005.

Alister Walker, prosecuting, said Lombardi told the letting agents he was a hotelier with an annual income of £52,000 and produced a letter apparantly from his employer to substantiate the details.

The letter described him as a general manager earning £48,000 a year with bonus at Slatters Hotel and Lombardi and his then partner were able to rent Park Cottage at The Street, Doddington.

A deposit and first month’s rent of £895 was paid to Mr Oldfield. But subsequent enquiries revealed Lombardi was only being paid the minimum wage and his presence at the hotel was in a security capacity while the hotel was closed and being refurbished.

Anthony Wilkin, for Lombardi, said he fully intended to remain at the cottage for a year with his partner but the relationship broke up and she moved out and he was unable to afford the rent so also left.

“There is no dispute about the deception on the letting agents but he disputes he owes four and a half months rent,” said Mr Wilkin.

He said Lombardi’s employer intended to continue to employ him but said Lombardi only had very limited funds available.