Rowley Regis benefit fiddler who claimed £56,000 given curfew (From Dudley News)

Rowley Regis benefit fiddler who claimed £56,000 given curfew

2:47pm Friday 10th August 2012 in Black Country News

A 56-year-old Rowley Regis man who fiddled £56,000 in benefits when he had £35,000 in savings has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Judge Martin Walsh told Raymond Holloway it was a serious fraud on the public purse that badly affected the help and support of the poorer members of society.

He told Holloway the fraud had been committed over a six year period between 2004 and 2010 and added: "You failed to declare a significant amount of capital that would have affected your ability to claim benefits.

The Judge said Holloway had repaid £24,000 to the Department of Work and Pensions and he was taking steps to pay off the balance of the money he fraudulently obtained.

"This sort of offence attacks the integrity of the benefits system which has been designed to help people who need assistance," said the Judge at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Holloway of Enfield Road admitted five charges of benefit fraud and he was given a 52 week jail term suspended for a year and also ordered to obey a three month curfew order between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

The Judge told Holloway, a man of previous good character, he was just able to allow him to keep his freedom.