A 'MEAN' patient conned East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust out of about £1,100 in fake expenses claims for appointments he did not have, a court heard.

Paul Rydings, 50, was entitled to get back his travelling costs and any parking charges as he was on limited means.

He had a disabled badge, so would not have had to pay parking charges.

But made almost 50 bogus claims for visits he claimed he had made to Burnley General and the Royal Blackburn hospitals.

Rydings has convictions for dishonesty and deception.

Rydings, of Chiltern Avenue, Burnley, had admitted fraud by false representation between April and November last year, at Burnley Magistrates' Court.

He was sentenced in October when he was given six weeks in jail, suspended for a year, with a 12 week curfew between 7pm and 7am and had been ordered to pay £500 compensation.

But details of this case emerged this week when he appealed against the sentence at the town's crown court.

Recorder Mark Ford, who said Rydings's conduct had been persistent, told him :"We do not feel it would be proper to interfere with the decision and the appeal is dismissed."

Elizabeth Nicholls, for the Crown, told the hearing the appellant was entitled to expenses for hospital visits.

Miss Nicholls said investigations were carried out and found no hospital appointments for any of the attendances he had claimed for.

His claims included both travelling and parking expenses but Rydings would not have incurred parking costs as he had a disabled badge.

Further inquiries revealed Rydings had attended at the hospital pharmacy once. Forty seven out of the 48 claims were fraudulent.

Martin Hackett, for Rydings, said: "This is a mean case."

The barrister said the appellant suffered from a syndrome which caused fluids to collect in his joints. He added : "He had a disabled badge and the option to claim various expenses if they were properly made. It was not a fraud from the outset."