A 44-YEAR-OLD man and his drinking buddies toasted the memory of a deceased pal with booze bought with benefit cheques.

A court heard Andrew Douglas Martin looked on the regular cash handouts as a "gift or legacy" from his dead friend.

In six months he obtained almost £5,000 by forging the signature of Robert Douglas, 51, of Redearth Road, Darwen, who died in Preston Prison on Easter Sunday after being remanded in custody on drugs charges.

And Daniel King, defending, at Blackburn magistrates, said spending the cash on his dead pal's associates seemed the right thing to do.

"It's not an excuse but he genuinely thought it was what Mr Douglas would have wanted," said Mr King. "My client has a drink problem and he used the money to subsidise his own habit and that of friends of Mr Douglas.

"They saw it as a gift or a legacy from their dead friend and it was almost as if they were toasting his memory."

He said Mr Douglas handed his benefit book to Martin when he was remanded and added: "It turned out to be a life sentence as after just a few days he died."

Robin Phoenix, prosecuting, said orders from Mr Douglas' benefit book continued to be cashed after his death, from April until October when Martin was arrested leaving a post office.

He admitted signing the orders for Mr Douglas and putting himself forward as acting as agent.

Martin, of Lower Cross Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty to two charges of obtaining property by deception and asked for 17 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

He was made subject to a 12-month community rehabilitation order, including a substance-related offending programme, and ordered to pay £75 costs.

The court heard the Benefits Agency was recovering the money owed directly from Martin's benefits.