21 June 2010: Community order for Prestwich benefit cheat
A Prestwich man who claimed Housing and Council Tax Benefits in excess of £3,000.00, that he wasn’t entitled to, was convicted of benefit fraud at Bury Magistrates Court on 16 June 2010.
Lawrence Gill, aged 55, currently of Harold Street, Prestwich, pleaded guilty to five offences of dishonestly obtaining Housing and Council Tax Benefits totalling £3,399.90 for a period from September 2002 through to July 2003 whilst residing on Parkhills Road, Bury, and failing to declare that he was living with his partner, who was working.
Magistrates imposed a 12 month Community Order with an unpaid work requirement of 135 hours. As well as having to repay the overpaid benefit, Mr Gill was ordered to pay £1,500.00 in costs.
Local Authority Investigators only discovered the fraud after Mr Gill’s then partner contacted the Council Tax offices to notify them that Mr Gill had left the property on Parkhills Road, unaware that he had previously claimed benefits and never declared her as being resident with him there. Mr Gill subsequently failed to attend interviews to discuss this matter and was eventually hauled before the Courts.
If you suspect that somebody is claiming a benefit falsely please contact the Benefit Sections Investigation Team, 7 Whittaker Street, Radcliffe. Alternatively ring the Benefit Fraud Hotline on freephone 0800 328 6340, e-mail housingbenefits@bury.gov.uk or complete the on-line referral on Bury MBC’s web site.
