Shropshire benefits cheat, 68, must pay back £18k
A pensioner has been ordered to pay back almost £20,000 in benefits he was not entitled to within six months or face being sent to jail.
Robin Clark, from Caldecott Crescent in Whitchurch, was ordered to pay back over £18,800 at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
It follows his conviction earlier this year for two charges of failing to notify Shropshire Council and the Department of Work and Pensions of changes to his circumstances relating to his council tax and pension payments.
The pensioner had been claiming the benefits despite being employed as a driver for a company which had since gone bankrupt.
Clark pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to being overpaid by £20,672.64 in pension credit and £4,093.11 in council tax benefits, both of which were means tested, between 2006 and 2011.
In February, the 68-year-old was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison for each offence, suspended for two years, placed under a curfew order from 6pm to 6am for three months and ordered to pay back the money.
Debra White, who was representing Clark at yesterday's hearing, said her client had now paid back £8,887.57 of the money owed, including all of the council tax benefit.
A further £2,921.31 was added on to his bill in the Proceeds of Crime proceedings to take account of inflation, resulting in the total amount still to be paid totalling £18,807.49.
Mrs White applied to have the inflation-added sum removed from the final bill on the grounds that her client had admitted his guilt in interview in December 2011 and there had been a "substantial delay" before the case reached court, resulting in the figure being increased.
Mrs White said that it wasn't "fair" her client should be asked to pay the additional figure.
But the application was turned down by Recorder Denis Desmond, who said the Proceeds of Crime Act did not take account of "questions of fairness".
He ordered Clark to pay back the money within six months. If he fails to do so, the pensioner will be imprisoned for 12 months.
Earlier in the proceedings, Mrs White said Clark had taken out equity against his home to allow him to pay back the debt.
