Forger: Peter Brightley faked his father's signature to gain more than £30,000 . A son forged his dead father’s signature to make himself the sole heir in his will, cheating five charities and his own brother out of more than £30,000. Solicitors raised the alarm when the fake signature by Peter Brightley, from Telford, Shropshire, bore no resemblance to his father Trevor's. But the 51-year-old was spared jail after a court heard he was a full-time carer for his disabled wife. Shrewsbury Crown Court heard Brightley was made the joint executor of his father's will in May 2008 together with a firm of solicitors in Lincolnshire. When Trevor died aged 75 in April last year, the solicitors asked Brightley if Trevor's most recent will, made in 2010, was the correct version. Instead of telling them the truth, Brightley sent back an 'updated' will making him the sole beneficiary of the £49,000 estate. He was in fact supposed to receive £11,000, with his brother Andrew left an equal share. Four charities - the Royal British Legion, St Barnabas Hospice in Lincoln, Barnado’s and the Prince’s Trust - were also due to receive £5,800 each, with pet charity PDSA owed another £2,500. Solicitors raised suspicions about the will's authenticity after they noticed the signature bore no resemblance to a previous one they had from Trevor. Brightley handed himself in to police two days later and admitted to forging the will and falsely receiving the £49,000. He pleaded guilty to forgery, fraud and theft when he appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday. Cheated: St Barnabas Hospice in Lincoln, pictured, was one charity due to receive almost £5,800 . The court heard Brightley was deeply sorry - telling his barrister 'if they take me out and hang me that is not enough' - and had paid the solicitors £33,029 of the money he took. He still owes £3,158, but told the court he was not in a position to pay it back. Mark . Sharman, defending, said Brightley was a full-time carer for his . disabled wife and had been worried a reassessment would lead to the loss . of her benefits. He said he was also concerned about finding money to help his daughter put a deposit on a house. Mr . Sharman added: 'This is a man who, of his own volition, walked into a . police station at a time when police were not even aware of any . wrongdoing on his part.' Brightley was spared jail when Judge Peter Barrie handed him a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years. He was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. Walking free: Brightley was spared jail at Shrewsbury Crown Court, pictured .
Peter Brightley, 51, was an executor when his father Trevor died last year .
Solicitors wrote to him to check his father's 2010 will was the most recent .
So Brightley, from Telford, Shropshire, forged and sent in an 'updated' will .
New document cut out brother Andrew and five charities including PDSA .
But the signature bore no resemblance at all to his father's .
Brightley, who was actually left £11,000, admitted forgery, fraud and theft .
Forger: Peter Brightley faked his father's signature to gain more than £30,000 . A son forged his dead father’s signature to make himself the sole heir in his will, cheating five charities and his own brother out of more than £30,000. Solicitors raised the alarm when the fake signature by Peter Brightley, from Telford, Shropshire, bore no resemblance to his father Trevor's. But the 51-year-old was spared jail after a court heard he was a full-time carer for his disabled wife. Shrewsbury Crown Court heard Brightley was made the joint executor of his father's will in May 2008 together with a firm of solicitors in Lincolnshire. When Trevor died aged 75 in April last year, the solicitors asked Brightley if Trevor's most recent will, made in 2010, was the correct version. Instead of telling them the truth, Brightley sent back an 'updated' will making him the sole beneficiary of the £49,000 estate. He was in fact supposed to receive £11,000, with his brother Andrew left an equal share. Four charities - the Royal British Legion, St Barnabas Hospice in Lincoln, Barnado’s and the Prince’s Trust - were also due to receive £5,800 each, with pet charity PDSA owed another £2,500. Solicitors raised suspicions about the will's authenticity after they noticed the signature bore no resemblance to a previous one they had from Trevor. Brightley handed himself in to police two days later and admitted to forging the will and falsely receiving the £49,000. He pleaded guilty to forgery, fraud and theft when he appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday. Cheated: St Barnabas Hospice in Lincoln, pictured, was one charity due to receive almost £5,800 . The court heard Brightley was deeply sorry - telling his barrister 'if they take me out and hang me that is not enough' - and had paid the solicitors £33,029 of the money he took. He still owes £3,158, but told the court he was not in a position to pay it back. Mark . Sharman, defending, said Brightley was a full-time carer for his . disabled wife and had been worried a reassessment would lead to the loss . of her benefits. He said he was also concerned about finding money to help his daughter put a deposit on a house. Mr . Sharman added: 'This is a man who, of his own volition, walked into a . police station at a time when police were not even aware of any . wrongdoing on his part.' Brightley was spared jail when Judge Peter Barrie handed him a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years. He was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. Walking free: Brightley was spared jail at Shrewsbury Crown Court, pictured .
Forger: Peter Brightley faked his father's fake signature by Peter Brightley, from Telford, Shropshire, bore no resemblance to his father Trevor's. But the 51-year-old was spared jail solicitors in Lincolnshire. When Trevor died aged 75 in April last year, the solicitors asked Brightley if Trevor's most recent will, made in them the truth, Brightley sent back an 'updated' receive £11,000, with his brother Andrew left an pleaded guilty to forgery, fraud and theft when