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Benefit cheat gets curfew and community order
Ref : 10/013 : Date : 22-01-2010
A Benefit cheat who fraudulently claimed £17,679.11 in council and housing benefit was sentenced to a community order to include 120 hours of unpaid work and a 12 week curfew from 7pm to 7am at Worthing Magistrates Court on Wednesday 20 January 2010.
Adur District council successfully prosecuted Clive John Russell, 55, of Tithe Barn, Mill Road, Lancing. Mr Russell pleaded guilty to three offences of dishonestly claiming benefits from Adur District Council by lying on his claim forms and not disclosing he was living with a partner.
The Court heard that Adur Council had received anonymous information which resulted in the investigation by the council’s benefit fraud team.
Enquiries revealed that Mr Russell's partner had told her employer and the Department of Work and Pensions she had moved into Tithe Barn in 2006. Between April 2007 and June 2009 Mr Russell completed three claim forms for housing and council tax benefits stating he lived alone. He failed to disclose that his partner, who was in full time employment, was living with him.
When sentencing the court heard from the Chairman of the Magistrates who said: “We have given the matter a lot of thought, it is a very serious matter which took place over a period of three years and normally you would expect to receive a prison sentence.
“We are not going to do that because of your ill health and we therefore impose a Community Order for 12 months, with a condition that you are the subject of a curfew order for 12 weeks between 7pm to 7am and also that you complete 120 hours unpaid work.”
Cabinet member for improved customer services, Julie Searle, said: “People who lie about their circumstances to get more benefit are stealing from us all. Adur District Council maintains a policy of prosecuting cases of benefit fraud and will vigorously pursue allegations of abuse of the benefits system.”
Mr Russell was also ordered to pay £250 towards prosecution costs and a collection order was made.
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