Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

A Llandeilo man has been sentenced to a community order for falsely claiming more than £4,000 in benefits. Thomas Peter Tudor Williams, of Rhos Deg, Llandeilo, appeared before Carmarthen Magistrates Court last week for sentencing for an offence contrary to Section 112 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. He had pleaded guilty to the offence. The court was told that Williams failed to declare a change in his circumstances - specifically that his wife, Louise Williams, had commenced employment as a catering assistant for Carmarthenshire County Council in September 2011, initially on a casual posting before being made permanent in September 2012. She finished her employment in July 2013. He was interviewed under caution and admitted the offence. As a result of the offence he had been overpaid Housing Benefit of £4288.99 and Council Tax Benefit of £572.62. He was given a 12 month community order and ordered to undertake 50 hours of unpaid work, as well as being ordered to pay...

A Llanelli man has been given a suspended prison sentence for falsely claiming more than £17,000 in benefits. Christopher Paul Hancock appeared before Llanelli magistrates accused of benefit fraud offences against Carmarthenshire County Council and Department for Work and Pensions. Hancock, of Bryngolau, Dafen, Llanelli, pleaded guilty to five offences of failing to declare changes in circumstances under Section 112 Social Security Administration Act 1992. The case was brought by the Crown Prosecution Service after a joint investigation by the county council and DWP. Hancock had been awarded Incapacity Benefit on the basis that he was unfit for work. An investigation commenced in May 2011 after the DWP received information that he had been working. Further enquiries by the council and DWP established that 48-year-old Hancock had worked for various employers from 2007 onwards, including work as a warehouse operative and security work. Hancock had also been claiming additional Incapacity...

A Llanelli woman has been given a 12-month community order for wrongly claiming more than £2,000 in housing benefit. Amy Roberts pleaded guilty to making a false statement under S.112 Social Security Administration Act 1992. Carmarthen Magistrates Court heard that 30-year-old Roberts claimed housing and council tax benefit at her then home in Llys Newydd, Llanelli, from November 2009 to June 2010. This was on the basis that she was living with her son and renting the property from a private landlord. On the claim she stated that nobody in the household was related to the landlord. An investigation commenced in February 2012 and it was established that her landlord was in fact the father of her young son who was born just before she had taken up the tenancy. As a result, she was not entitled to any of the housing benefit for the period November 2009 to June 2010 and an overpayment of £2,264.17 had occurred. Roberts, now of Catherine Street, Llanelli, was sentenced to a 12-month Communit...

A Llanfynydd nurse has been given a suspended prison sentence for wrongly claiming about £18,000 in benefits. Sharon Rose Bell appeared at Swansea Crown Court last week for sentencing having previously pleaded guilty to 11 offences under S.111 Social Security Administration Act 1992 – two of dishonestly making false statements, eight of dishonestly producing false documents and one of dishonestly failing to declare a change in circumstances. The court heard that in March 2006, 41-year-old Bell applied for housing benefit and council tax benefit at 5, Heol Newydd, Llanfynydd as a single person, declaring that she was working part-time at Meddygfa Teilo Surgery, Llandeilo. In April 2006 Bell stated that she had enrolled on a full time nursing degree course via Swansea University. As a result, she was advised by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Housing Benefit Section that she did not qualify for Housing Benefit. Bell then reapplied for housing benefit, declaring that she had given up the...

A Tywi Valley woman has been convicted of benefit fraud. Tracie Michelle Warren appeared at Ammanford Magistrates Court charged with two offences under Section 112 Social Security Administration Act 1992. She pleaded guilty of failing to declare changes in circumstances, one in relation to housing and council tax benefit and the other for income support. The prosecution was brought by the Department for Work and Pensions following a joint investigation with Carmarthenshire County Council. The court was told that Warren had been awarded housing and council tax benefit on the basis that she was resident with her husband and children at a privately rented property and they were in receipt of income support. However, an investigation carried out by the council and the Department for Work and Pensions revealed that Warren’s husband has been working for the period between June 2009 and August 2010. As a result, Warren had been overpaid a total of £3,989.21 over a 14 month period; this includ...

An Amman Valley man has been given a suspended prison sentence for fraudulently claiming almost £20,000 Housing Benefit. Noel John Rogers, age 64, pleaded guilty at Llanelli Magistrates Court to offences contrary to Section 112 Social Security Administration Act 1992. Rogers claimed Housing Benefit from May 2000 at his home in Cwmamman Road, Glanamman, a privately rented property. An investigation into his benefit claim was made following a suspicion that he had failed to declare ownership of another property. Enquiries revealed that he had been the owner of a property in Parc Bryn Rhos, Glanamman, since November 1996. It was also established that he had been in receipt of a British Coal Board Pension since April 2000. An Inspection of his Benefit records showed that Rogers had failed to declare that he owned another property or that he received a private pension. As a result of failing to declare his correct circumstances, Rogers was overpaid Housing Benefit of £19,914.75 from Ma...

A Laugharne woman has been convicted of benefit fraud after a trial. Mary Elizabeth Susan Halstead stood trial at Carmarthen Magistrates Court after pleading not guilty to an offence of failing to promptly notify Carmarthenshire County Council of a change in her circumstances, namely that her Jobseekers Allowance had ceased, contrary to Section 112 Social Security Administration Act 1992. The court was told that 55-year-old Halstead had been awarded housing and council tax benefit at a council tenancy in Orchard Park, Laugharne, as a single person on the basis that she was unemployed and in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance. A data matching exercise identified that she had stopped receiving Jobseekers Allowance February 22, 2010. As a result, she had been overpaid £715.26 rent rebate (from March 1, 2010, to June 6, 2010) and £215.55 council tax benefit (March 1, 2010, to July 25, 2010). She failed to attend for interview and the case was sent to court. Halstead pleaded not guilty to ...

A Llangennech man has been sentenced to a community order for falsely claiming more than £4,500 in rent rebate and council tax benefit. Stephen Hodge appeared at Llanelli Magistrates Court for sentencing, having previously pleaded guilty at Ammanford Magistrates Court to one charge of dishonestly failing to declare a change in circumstances and one of dishonestly making a false statement, contrary to S111 Social Security Administration Act 1992. Hodge, aged 46, had been awarded housing and council tax benefit at his council tenancy at Nantygro, Llangennech, on the basis he was a single man. An investigation was commenced in November 2010 when it was suspected that he had been working. He attended the council offices and made a full admission that he had failed to declare he had returned to work for Millbrook Recovery in March 2009 and that he’d subsequently been working for A & A Car Service Centre, Llanelli from August 2009 to June 2010. As a result, Hodge had been overpaid £...

A Carmarthen woman has been fined £150 for benefit fraud. Shirley Marie Lewis pleaded guilty at Ammanford Magistrates Court to an offence of failing to declare a change in circumstances under to Section 112 Social Security Administration Act 1992. The court was told that 43-year-old Lewis was claiming Housing and Council Tax Benefit with her partner at a private tenancy at Ffynnon Waun, Carmarthen, on the basis that she was working as a catering assistant. An investigation was undertaken after a data matching exercise identified that Mrs Lewis was working part-time for OCS as a cleaner at the Welsh Assembly offices in Carmarthen. It was established that she had been working for OCS since July 29, 2009, and also that she had been in receipt of Tax Credits. As a result of the investigation an overpayment of £4,354.71 was recorded, being £3,291.35 Housing Benefit and £1,063.36 Council Tax Benefit. She was fined £150 and ordered to pay a contribution of £250 towards prosecution costs. Lewi...

A Pembrey man has been prosecuted for fraudulently claiming more than £1,000 in housing benefit and council tax benefit. Anthony John Watkins-Conde appeared before Ammanford Magistrates Court on Monday for sentencing after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to failing to declare a change in circumstances, contrary to S.112 Social Security Administration Act 1992. The court was told that he failed to declare that his wife had been working from August 12, 2008, to January 1, 2009. Thirty three-year-old Watkins-Conde, of Danlan Road, Pembrey, had been overpaid £902.50 housing benefit and £277.67 Council Tax Benefit. He was given a 12 month conditional discharge. He will have to repay the overpayment. Council executive board member for resources Cllr Wyn Evans said: “The Council is anxious that as many people as possible claim the housing and council tax benefit that they are rightfully entitled to. “However, we are also determined to crack down on fraudulent claims that are a drain on ...

A Llandovery man has been prosecuted by claiming benefit without saying that his wife was working. John Andrew Penman pleaded guilty at Ammanford Magistrates Court to five offences under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 of dishonestly failing to report changes in circumstances. The court was told that housing and council tax benefit had been awarded on the basis that 58-year-old Penman and his wife were in receipt of income support and living at Victoria Crescent, Llandovery. They have since moved to Dolau Bran, Llandovery. The Department for Work and Pensions Fraud Investigation Service invited Carmarthenshire County Council to undertake a joint investigation when they had reason to believe Mrs Penman was working as a shop assistant. Her husband was interviewed and admitted failing to declare a change in circumstances. Total overpayments were £902.26 in housing benefit, £277.55 in council tax benefit and £5,011.19 in income support. A joint prosecution was taken by the coun...

A St Clears couple have been prosecuted for benefit fraud. Brian King, aged 71, and Susan King, aged 66, claimed to be renting a property from a landlord in Milton Keynes, when in fact the property was owned by their daughter, who was also living there. As a result, they were overpaid £8,022.38 Rent Allowance and £394.78 Council Tax Benefit for the period July 30 2001 to February 1 2004. Mr and Mrs King, of Noddfa, Llanddowror, St Clears, each pleaded guilty to an offence of making a false statement in order to obtain benefit, contrary to S.112 Social Security Administration Act 1992. They were fined £400 and ordered to pay £357 costs. Carmarthenshire County Council and the Department for Work and Pensions brought the prosecution and will seek recovery of the overpaid benefit.

A Llanelli woman has admitted that she was working while claiming benefit. Jade Marie Jones pleaded guilty at Ammanford Magistrates Court to charges under S.111 Social Security Administration Act 1992 of failing to declare employment while claiming Income Support, Housing and Council Tax Benefit while living in a flat in New Dock Road, Llanelli. The court heard that 20-year-old Jones, of no fixed abode, had been overpaid £870.75 Rent Allowance, £209.63 Council Tax Benefit and £1,043.65 Income Support. Jones was fined £135 and ordered to pay £75 costs. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council and the Department for Work and Pensions who will seek recovery of the overpaid benefit.

BBC News - Kent fraudster sentenced over £34m pyramid scheme Lots of people from Llanelli and West Wales suffered at the hands of the KF Concept scam.

A Burry Port woman has been sentenced to community punishment for wrongly claiming more than £3,000 in housing benefit and council tax benefit. Angela Margaret Stanlake appeared before Ammanford Magistrates Court yesterday for sentencing, having pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to making a false statement and failing to declare changes in circumstances. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council, The court was told that an investigation was commenced as a result of the National Fraud Initiative data-matching exercise. Details of employment were obtained from Inland Revenue and statutory powers were used to obtain details of employment. It emerged that 55-year-old Stanlake had claimed for housing and council tax benefit but had failed to declare that she was employed as a cleaner at a surgery in Burry Port. She also failed to mention that her husband had worked for two taxi firms. As a result of the investigation, overpayments of £2,184.69 housing benefit and £907...

An Ammanford man has been prosecuted for falsely claiming more than £15,000 in housing and council tax benefit. Roger Hunter pleaded guilty at Llanelli Magistrates Court to making eight false statements in order to obtain housing and council tax benefit, contrary to Section 112 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. Hunter had claimed the benefits as a single man at various addresses in the county from March 2002 onwards, based on a low income. The case was highlighted as a result of the council’s participation in a nationwide data-matching exercise, which identified that Hunter was in receipt of an NHS pension that he had failed to declare to the council. As a result, he fraudulently obtained £15,470 in benefit between March 25, 2002, and October 4, 2009. Fifty three-year-old Hunter, of Heol Marlais, Llandybie, was fined £520 and ordered to pay £60 prosecution costs. He will also have to repay all of the overpaid benefit. This was the second successful prosecution achieved by...

A St Clears man has been prosecuted for falsely claiming £2,640 in housing benefit. Christopher Weeks pleaded guilty at Llanelli Magistrates Court to failing to declare a change in circumstances, contrary to Section 112 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. The court was told that 35-year-old Weeks had claimed housing benefit with his partner and children at a rented property Ffawydd, Llangynin, St Clears, from November 2008. In September 209, Carmarthenshire County Council commenced an investigation into his claim for housing benefit. It was established that Weeks had vacated the property in March 2009 and had since moved to Bishopswood, Brackla, Bridgend. As a result, Weeks fraudulently obtained £2,640 in housing benefit. He was fined £115 and ordered to pay £307 costs. He will also have to repay all of the overpaid benefit. This was the 10th successful prosecution achieved by the Council Investigation Section this financial year, six of which have been jointly undertaken w...