Second benefits cheat given 'slapped wrist' by magistrates

A SECOND West Somerset benefits cheat has been let off by magistrates after the district council took a prosecution to court.
Ian Ware, aged 41, of The Glebe, Timberscombe, claimed nearly £5,000 in housing benefit and council tax benefit to which he was not entitled.
His fraud was committed over a 14-month period from February of last year to April of this year, during which time Ware dishonestly failed to notify the council of changes to his circumstances.
Despite having found work, Ware did not promptly tell the council and continued to receive a total of £3,704.27 in housing benefit and £1,097.31 in council tax benefit to which he was not entitled.
Ware, who had since started to pay back the over-paid benefits at a rate of less than £10 a week, pleaded guilty to the offence.
The magistrates gave him credit for an early guilty plea and the fact he was already making some repayments to the council.
They conditionally discharged Ware for 12 months, which meant he would not be further punished if he kept out of trouble during that time.
The court did not make any order for compensation as arrangements were already in place.
Following the hearing, West Somerset Council finance portfolio holder, Councillor Doug Ross, appealed for the public to report anybody they suspected of dishonestly claiming benefits.
Councillor Ross said the council had a fraud hotline on 01984 635236 which people could call anonymously to tip off the authority’s benefits team.
He said: “It is made clear to benefits claimants that the responsibility to report changes in circumstances lies with them.
“Our benefits team is on hand to help anybody who may find themselves in difficult circumstances and we would advise people to contact the team if they need to.
“Failure to do so will lead to our fraud team taking action against people who are dishonestly claiming benefits to which they are not entitled.”

'Slapped wrist' for £1,600 Watchet benefits cheat

A BENEFITS cheat who dishonestly claimed more than £1,600 has been given a ‘slap on the wrist’ by West Somerset magistrates after the district council prosecuted him.
Eric Gitsham, aged 49, of Maglands Road, Watchet, pleaded guilty to failing to notify the council of a change in circumstances while he was receiving housing and council tax benefits.
By not declaring that his wife had been working during the 15 months from April of last year to July of this year, Gitsham was paid £1,377.02 in housing benefit and £251.02 in council tax benefit to which he was not entitled.
The magistrates gave Gitsham credit for making an early guilty plea and they took into account his current financial circumstances - both he and his wife were now unemployed.
Gitsham was conditionally discharged for 12 months, which meant he would not be further punished for the offence if he stayed out of trouble during that time.
A compensation order was also made for Gitsham to repay to the council the overpayment of benefit at £10 a week.
District council finance portfolio holder Councillor Doug Ross said after the court hearing: “People who break the law by claiming benefits they are not entitled to should be aware that our fraud team will take action against them.
“If convicted in court, they will also find themselves with a criminal record.
“It is vital that people claiming benefits report changes in their circumstances to our benefits team immediately, as we are here to help those facing hardship.
“If people suspect somebody of claiming benefits fraudulently, they can report them anonymously on our confidential benefit fraud hotline on 01984 635236.
“All the caller needs to do is leave the name of the person suspected and details of the alleged fraud.
“We can simply check out the details and if fraud is proven, we can act to stop hard-working taxpayers footing the bill for this criminal activity.”

Supermarket CCTV pictures show suspects in fraud and forgery inquiry

POLICE are appealing for help to identify two men suspected of carrying out fraud and forgery offences in West Somerset.One case occurred when the pair entered the Co-operative supermarket, in Fore Street, Williton, at about 8.48 pm on Saturday, August 23.
CCTV pictures of the pair were released by police today in an effort to aid their inquiries.
One is described as a white man with ginger hair and wearing khaki/green coloured jumper with a shoulder strap over his left shoulder (pictured, right) and similar colour trousers.
The other is a white man wearing dark clothing with white trainers (pictured, left).
Anybody with any information regarding the men or the offences should contact Crimestoppers immediately on 0800 555111.

Police dossier grows on rogue photographer

A DOSSIER being compiled by The Post on rogue West Somerset photographer Mark Stothard (pictured, left) has been growing by the day.
The Post has been inundated with calls and emails since revealing in last week’s edition some of the businesses practices of Mr Stothard, who trades under a variety of names, including Mark The Photographer.
The dossier will be handed to the police by The Post’s advertising and marketing manager, Dudley Seale, who contacted the constabulary after the newspaper suffered prolonged harassment by Mr Stothard for money he claimed he was owed.
Since last week, The Post has established that a business calling itself South West Debt Recovery and using a Taunton PO Box number is actually registered to Mr Stothard at one of the accommodation addresses he uses in the county town.
South West Debt Recovery had been purporting to act on behalf of ‘its client’ Mr Stothard and had issued threats of court action and complaints to various authorities, including the Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset.
It has also been found that even more county court judgements have been lodged against Mr Stothard’s businesses than previously thought.
It was known that a CCJ for a £12,194 debt was granted in December, shortly before Mr Stothard began billing The Post for sums of nearly £1,000.
Now, The Post has learned of a CCJ for £3,852 in Exeter County Court on April 3, another for nearly £1,000 in Taunton County Court on March 10, while a number of other businesses have said they are in the process of trying to recover money from him.
At least two different website designers - both based in Wales - have said they designed websites for Mr Stothard and had not been fully paid.
One said he was recruited via an advert placed by Mr Stothard on the JobCentre website and was commissioned to work 50 hours a week but had only received one initial payment despite completing an extensive portfolio of four different websites for him.
Another of Mr Stothard’s businesses, Inco IBS Ltd, was found to have seven CCJs totalling more than £8,000, although the company was not trading.
Mr Seale said: “I would urge anybody who has had dealings with Mr Stothard or any of businesses and who feels aggrieved to get in touch with us.”