Haulier and drivers escape jail for false benefit claims
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• A West Cumbrian haulier and three of his drivers who claimed benefits totalling £16,000 while working have escaped prison sentences.
Haulier Thomas Roberts, who owns Salterbeck-based JP Hutton, and drivers Barry Rails, James Ray and Kenneth Lennon were warned at the initial hearing before West Allerdale magistrates in Workington that they could face custodial sentences CM1-7 March).
The four were caught after confidential calls were made to the Benefits Hotline which was set up in February as part of a government operation called "Targeting Fraud".
Two of the drivers had been claiming incapacity benefit and the other a jobseeker's allowance. Roberts had made false claims about his employees.
As the employer, Roberts received the maximum penalty of 240 hours' community service. Lennon got 180 hours; Rails and Ray 150 hours. Between them the men have to pay £2,286 in prosecution costs. After the case. DSS investigating officer Bill Parkin said: "Benefit fraud is not a victimless crime. It affects every man, woman and child. It's taken very seriously and pursued vigorously both against those who seek to benefit directly and those who act in collusion."
Earlier this year Social Security Secretary Alistair Darling said: "Benefit fraud costs every household in this country over 180 a year. We must continue to bear down on cheating wherever it occurs."