A COUNCILLOR is prepared to go to prison to make a stand over “outrageous” sentences being dished out to benefit cheats.

Phil Turner, Basildon councillor for finance and resources, said he was more likely to go to prison for committing contempt of court by criticising judges.

Mr Turner spoke out after a woman – 36-year-old Joanna White, of Sunnedon, Basildon – was given an eight-week curfew after fraudulently claiming nearly £10,000 in housing and council tax benefit.

White had failed to declare that her partner had £80,000 savings in the bank.

Mr Turner said: “I’ve got more chance of going to prison for being held in contempt of court for criticising judges, than someone who has defrauded taxpayers out of thousands of pounds.

“But I would be prepared to go to prison to bring people’s attention to the outrageous sentences that are currently being given out to benefit cheats.

“A court, effectively saying ‘don’t do it again’, is outrageous.

“Only when judges start giving out custodial sentences will criminals sit up and take notice.

“I would implore the courts to put these benefit cheats away.

“That will send the message back into society that these crooks are not going to be allowed to get away with it.”

White is one of several people brought before the courts by Basildon Council’s benefit fraud investigation team this year who have escaped without a jail term.

In May this year 52-year-old Christine Higgins, of Rowenhall, Basildon, was given 140 hours of unpaid work after fraudulently claiming £16,300. In 2010 benefit fraudsters conned Basildon Council out of more than £800,000.

The authority paid £656,804 in housing benefits to 96 fraudulent claimants between November 2009 and November 2010. It also forked out a further £143,364 in council tax benefits to 87 fraudsters.

All but two of the 32 cases brought to court by the council against dodgy claimants last year were successful.