AS A doctor, he was a trusted member of the community.

But when faced with parking fines Dr Vincent Leaper resorted to pretending that his car had broken down rather than paying out, a court heard.

Leaper successfully appealed six parking fines over a period of five years using false documents to back up his story.

However, he was caught out when council officials discovered the AA certificates he had supplied to support his claim were faked and the signature confirming them was that of a dead AA female employee.

The court heard how he had challenged the tickets issued for parking in restricted areas or on double yellow lines - five in Southampton and one in Winchester - avoiding paying £470 in fines.

The 40-year-old's actions only came to light when a Southampton City Council employee became suspicious of the documents he had provided for his most recent fine.

This was issued when Leaper's Jaguar had been parked in Above Bar Street, Southampton, on May 17 last year.

Leaper appealed this and sent in a false MOT appointment and an AA report signed by a former employee of the AA who it was later discovered had died in 2010.

A Southampton City Council employee suspected foul play and it was found the format of the AA's letters had changed in 2013.

The council reviewed all Leaper's parking fines back to 2009.

The court heard on one occasion Leaper, who works in hospitals across the country, had forged the signature himself.

Leaper, of Bourne Farm, Woodlands, Southampton, admitted two counts of making a false representation, one of making a false instrument and one of using a false instrument.

He has now paid the fines.

The court heard Leaper splits his time between here and Ukraine, earning £10,000 to £12,000 a year in the UK.

When interviewed Leaper said the breakdowns were genuine and that it was a "procedural error" but has now admitted that was not the case.

He revealed he paid £10 for the report certificate but refused to name the source.

Duncan Milne, prosecuting, said Leaper will face a fitness to practise hearing in front of the General Medical Council regarding this and his "professional position is in jeopardy".

The court heard Leaper had received a caution in 2013 from Bedfordshire Police for a fraud linked to car parking.

He had parked at Luton Airport car park where there was a numberplate recognition system on entry for two or three weeks but paid for the day he was due to return as he had discovered that would allow him out of the car park for only paying one or two days, the court heard.

Mr Milne said his numberplate was subsequently restricted from entering the car park so he resorted to using tape to amend it.

James Newton-Price, defending, said Leaper was "under no illusion that he's made this a lot worse than he could have done" and knew he had been "extremely stupid".

Sentencing was deferred until October 2, when judge Nicholas Rowland said "all options will be open".