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Beeston benefit fraudster jailed
A Beeston benefit fraudster jailed for nine months was warned against launching a gambling career to repay the tens of thousands he stole.
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Leeds Crown Court heard that pensioner John Phillips defrauded the taxpayer of more than 43,000 over a nine-year period.
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Jailed for nine months for each of five benefit fraud offences, the sentences to run concurrently, Phillips's pre-sentence report said that he planned to earn enough money from gambling to repay the cash.
He had already repaid 8,500 by opening a string of credit card accounts, the court was told.
Sentencing Phillips, who admitted all five offences, Judge Sally Cahill said: "I note with concern the comments of the person who wrote your pre-sentence report of your idea to resolve this problem by gambling.
"I advise you strongly against that. All that will happen is you get into further debt and you will have further problems."
Phillips had failed to tell the authorities his wife was working as he claimed benefits.
The 67-year-old, of Tempest Road, had claimed income support and pension credit as well as council tax and housing benefit.
David Miller, for Phillips, said the fraud was "unsophisticated".
He stressed that his client, who has paranoid schizophrenia, had begun making legitimate claims but failed to tell the authorities when his wife began work.
None of the money had been spent on extravagances, Mr Miller said, but had gone on everyday living expenses.
Jailing Phillips, Judge Cahill told him there were many sad elements to his case.
"The tragedy was you kept it (the fraud] up for such a long time and obtained such a large amount of money.
"I accept you have done what you can to repay, but this must cross the custody threshold."
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Friday 18 May 2012
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