Benefit fraudster avoids jail

11:31am Wednesday 17th October 2012 in News By Jon Austin

A MAN has been given a suspended sentence and been ordered to pay costs of £250 after pleading guilty to Housing and Council Tax benefit fraud.

James Ellis, 31, of Southview Road, failed to declare his partner was living with him and that she was working.

From 17 May 2009 to 20 March 2011 he falsely claimed £7,787 in Housing benefit.

He also claimed £1,714 in Council Tax benefit from 17 May 2009 to 15 March 2011.

The case was heard at Basildon Magistrates Court on Monday 15 October.

Stuart Sullivan, cabinet member for resources, said: “This man has a flagrant disregard for the law by dishonestly dipping into the public purse.

“The Magistrates commented in respect of both offences that there had been quite a degree of planning and that this was fraudulent from the outset.

“They said there had been significant loss of money from the public purse and the offences were committed over a significant period.

“Let this be a lesson to would-be benefit cheats. You will be caught and made to pay back every penny.”

Comments (9)

11:56am Wed 17 Oct 12

Son of Stropmag says...

“Let this be a lesson to would-be benefit cheats. You will be caught and made to pay back every penny.”

Of course the truth is that the vast majority are not caught.
“Let this be a lesson to would-be benefit cheats. You will be caught and made to pay back every penny.” Of course the truth is that the vast majority are not caught. Son of Stropmag

12:18pm Wed 17 Oct 12

Ironman says...

Where does it say that he will have to pay back every penny? Any benefit cheat is robbing every one of us.

£200 and a 'suspended' is probably a good deal against a £9000+ haul.
Where does it say that he will have to pay back every penny? Any benefit cheat is robbing every one of us. £200 and a 'suspended' is probably a good deal against a £9000+ haul. Ironman

12:29pm Wed 17 Oct 12

Basildon.lad.21 says...

Top man. Living by the book dont really get you anywhere in life now adays, and the government is absolute sh!t. Shame that this man was caught, but glad he didnt go to prison.
Top man. Living by the book dont really get you anywhere in life now adays, and the government is absolute sh!t. Shame that this man was caught, but glad he didnt go to prison. Basildon.lad.21

1:44pm Wed 17 Oct 12

Nebs says...

Even if he does have to pay it back, he has had a £9,000 interest free loan for a cost of £250.
Even if he does have to pay it back, he has had a £9,000 interest free loan for a cost of £250. Nebs

1:49pm Wed 17 Oct 12

perini says...

So crime DOES pay! If you were offered £9K + for £250 you'd stand there all day swapping £250's!
So crime DOES pay! If you were offered £9K + for £250 you'd stand there all day swapping £250's! perini

3:43pm Wed 17 Oct 12

EthanEdwards says...

Basildon.lad.21 wrote:
Top man. Living by the book dont really get you anywhere in life now adays, and the government is absolute sh!t. Shame that this man was caught, but glad he didnt go to prison.
Thats a very poor lesson to have learnt and at such a young age..

Read this

http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Karma

Basically if you do habitually do bad things eventually it catches up with you.
[quote][p][bold]Basildon.lad.21[/bold] wrote: Top man. Living by the book dont really get you anywhere in life now adays, and the government is absolute sh!t. Shame that this man was caught, but glad he didnt go to prison.[/p][/quote]Thats a very poor lesson to have learnt and at such a young age.. Read this http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Karma Basically if you do habitually do bad things eventually it catches up with you. EthanEdwards

7:13pm Wed 17 Oct 12

Rollocks says...

Karma will find him
I feel sorry for him I wonder what Karma has in store?
Karma will find him I feel sorry for him I wonder what Karma has in store? Rollocks

11:20pm Wed 17 Oct 12

Nebs says...

Rollocks wrote:
Karma will find him
I feel sorry for him I wonder what Karma has in store?
Maybe he will become a professional rugby league player.
http://wwos.ninemsn.
com.au/article.aspx?
id=8544396
[quote][p][bold]Rollocks[/bold] wrote: Karma will find him I feel sorry for him I wonder what Karma has in store?[/p][/quote]Maybe he will become a professional rugby league player. http://wwos.ninemsn. com.au/article.aspx? id=8544396 Nebs

4:26pm Thu 18 Oct 12

Tone-Fu says...

Fraudulently claiming benefits is bad, of that there can be no doubt, but as the cost of living keeps climbing and wages fail to climb with it people are forced to make ends meet any way they see fit.

I don't think demonising people is a productive use of the media. Instead we should be using it to expose the MP's and policy makers that enjoy opulent lifestyles at the cost of the tax payer and work towards a better quality of life for tax payers - including a living wage.
Fraudulently claiming benefits is bad, of that there can be no doubt, but as the cost of living keeps climbing and wages fail to climb with it people are forced to make ends meet any way they see fit. I don't think demonising people is a productive use of the media. Instead we should be using it to expose the MP's and policy makers that enjoy opulent lifestyles at the cost of the tax payer and work towards a better quality of life for tax payers - including a living wage. Tone-Fu

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