Benefits cheat Wayne Curry claimed £37,000 in benefits
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A man who failed to tell the benefit
authorities the mother of his child was living with him, clocked up
over £37,000 in fraudulent claims.
Wayne Curry, 34, claimed income support, housing and council tax
benefit over four years.
He appeared at Canterbury Crown Court to be sentenced for two
offences of failing to notify change of circumstances by omitting
to tell the DWP and Thanet Council that his girlfriend was living
with him at Nursery Close, Ramsgate.
The court heard Curry made the claims on the basis he was a
single parent with one child.
Curry, of Broad Street, Ramsgate was sentenced to 12 months,
suspended for two years with 100 hours unpaid work and a six months
curfew between 9pm and 6am. He must also pay £5,000
compensation.
Catherine Sparks, for Curry, said it had been a turbulant
relationship, there were times when they were apart and he was
suffering from depression and had no network of support from family
or friends.
His early claims were legitimate and when his former partner
helped with child care, things between them improved and she moved
in and he accepts he should have declared it.
Curry was now working, which had improved his financial
situation, and no longer on benefit.
Miss Sparks asked the court to consider a suspended sentence
with unpaid work.
Sentencing Curry, Mr Recorder David Tomlinson accepted there was
no evidence of a lavish lifestyle or professional fraud, but warned
Curry such offences usually resulted in an immediate prison
sentence.
Wednesday, March 17 2010
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