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Benefit cheat swindled £10k
A BENEFIT cheat was caught swindling benefits just seven months after being slapped on the wrist for the same offence.
Mark Tracey, of Frilsham Street in Sutton Courtenay, was given a three-year conditional discharge for benefit fraud in March 2005.
In October 2005, the 38-year old father-of-three was employed by Dixons but carried on claiming income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit.
This carried on until June 2006, which amounted to Tracey fraudulently claiming a total of £10,398 in benefits.
The Vale of White Horse District Council was alerted when Tracey wrote to let them know he had a full-time job, 31 weeks late.
Tracey admitted three charges of failing to notify the council of a change in circumstances and one charge of a breach of conditional discharge. He was sentenced at Didcot Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
David Jones, prosecuting, told the court that Tracey was given a chance to re-pay the money, but had not done so.
Tracey, who represented himself, said he started working part time at Dixons as he had serious problems with his heart.
He said: "We were in a very difficult position, myself and my wife were in a considerable amount of debt and it was literally robbing Peter to pay Paul.
"It wasn't right, I accept that, but we didn't have any option at that time.
"When I found out we shouldn't have signed on, I was already in trouble and I just thought because of the last occasion that would just make it worse. Now I can see I should have said something at the time, I know I was in the wrong."
Frank Smith, chairman of the bench, sentenced Tracey to six months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
He was told to pay back £3,500 and to pay costs of £250.
Mr Smith warned Tracey that he had narrowly escaped imprisonment.
He said: "These are very serious offences and custody was not ruled out.
"There is a large sum of benefits involved, over £10,000, and this fraud was committed over a period of 31 weeks and you knew the likely outcome of committing these offences."
After sentencing, Paul Howden, revenues and benefits manager at the council, said: "It's simply not on and we will do everything we can to stop this thieving from the public purse."
7:56am Thursday 13th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Dave, Oxford on 9:17am Thu 13 Mar 08
So lets get this straight, this bloke nicks over 10 grand from the rest of us and gets a fine of £3,750. So for his 200 hours of community service he is allowed to keep £7,000.
I think I'll start defrauding the council if it pays that well even when you get caught.
Why wasn't he fined for everything he nicked, publicly flogged and more. Where is the incentive not to try it on.
So lets get this straight, this bloke nicks over 10 grand from the rest of us and gets a fine of £3,750. So for his 200 hours of community service he is allowed to keep £7,000.
I think I'll start defrauding the council if it pays that well even when you get caught.
Why wasn't he fined for everything he nicked, publicly flogged and more. Where is the incentive not to try it on.
Posted by: Anon, Abingdon on 10:01am Thu 13 Mar 08
I think this seems like a pretty good way to make a living. Beats sitting in the traffic and trying to get into the office every morning!
I think this seems like a pretty good way to make a living. Beats sitting in the traffic and trying to get into the office every morning!
Posted by: The True Wantage Herald, Wantage on 11:01am Thu 13 Mar 08
This works out at £35/hour or £73,000 per year. Sweet!
This works out at £35/hour or £73,000 per year. Sweet!
Posted by: S, Witney on 12:52pm Thu 13 Mar 08
Do they advertise benefit cheat jobs anywhere? I am massively in debt and could do with earning some money like this instead of working like a decent person to get myself out of trouble - should have sent him to jail.
Do they advertise benefit cheat jobs anywhere? I am massively in debt and could do with earning some money like this instead of working like a decent person to get myself out of trouble - should have sent him to jail.
Posted by: Irfan Momin, oxford on 3:44pm Thu 13 Mar 08
no two ways about this................
.make him pay back ALL the money and then fine him and make him do so called community work
no two ways about this................
.make him pay back ALL the money and then fine him and make him do so called community work
Posted by: Rob, Wantage on 4:25pm Thu 13 Mar 08
There is no point is making him pay it back as he won't. Not alot you can do about it really, unless the council/Housing etc try harder to clamp down on it.
There is no point is making him pay it back as he won't. Not alot you can do about it really, unless the council/Housing etc try harder to clamp down on it.
Posted by: Fleur, Abingdon on 1:10pm Fri 14 Mar 08
What a cop out. No wonder it's so hard to get any benefit money when you actually need it. Some sod's nicked it all.
What a cop out. No wonder it's so hard to get any benefit money when you actually need it. Some sod's nicked it all.
Posted by: Paul Howden on 4:37pm Fri 14 Mar 08
I would like to clarify that the total overpayment will be recovered as well as the as well as the value of the compensation order. This is always the case.
I would like to clarify that the total overpayment will be recovered as well as the as well as the value of the compensation order. This is always the case.
Posted by: Wantage Exile, Sale on 9:27pm Fri 14 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Rob[/bold] wrote:
There is no point is making him pay it back as he won't. Not alot you can do about it really, unless the council/Housing etc try harder to clamp down on it.[/quote] The problem is not with the Council as they prosecuted him its the courts which pass laughable sentances
As Paul states he will have to pay back the overpayment. Its just a pity it will be at about £9 per week!
Rob wrote:
There is no point is making him pay it back as he won't. Not alot you can do about it really, unless the council/Housing etc try harder to clamp down on it.
The problem is not with the Council as they prosecuted him its the courts which pass laughable sentances
As Paul states he will have to pay back the overpayment. Its just a pity it will be at about £9 per week!
Posted by: Rich, Oxon on 5:27pm Wed 19 Mar 08
His pay from Dixons will have resulted in him paying tax and NI etc. not to mention Dixons making employer's NI contributions, was this information available to the Benefit Office? (If not, why not?) Or do they just not bother to check?
Surely in this day and age some joined-up thinking (or heaven forbid some joined-up IT system) would prevent this sort of thing. For example, when he goes to claim his benefit the computer shows that he's currently employed and therefore denies the payment...is that too logical?!
His pay from Dixons will have resulted in him paying tax and NI etc. not to mention Dixons making employer's NI contributions, was this information available to the Benefit Office? (If not, why not?) Or do they just not bother to check?
Surely in this day and age some joined-up thinking (or heaven forbid some joined-up IT system) would prevent this sort of thing. For example, when he goes to claim his benefit the computer shows that he's currently employed and therefore denies the payment...is that too logical?!
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