A teenager came within a hair's breadth of being jailed over Christmas, a Chelmsford Crown Court judge told him when he admitted obtaining over £1,000 by deception.
Judge Ben Pearson told Robert Wilkins, 18, that he was "a very lucky man" when he imposed 200 hours community service on Thursday.
Wilkins, of Queens Street, Chelmsford, was ordered to pay £1,077 compensation and £350 court costs.
Robert Flach prosecuting said Wilkins obtained temporary work at John Menzies, Chelmsford, through an employment agency, Adecco.
When he left Menzies he continued to be paid and he filled in work sheets to cover the erroneous payments made in a two month period at the end of last year.
Judge Pearson said it was an unsophisticated, low category, opportunistic crime.
It was Wilkins' first offence and he was allowed one mistake.
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