COUNCIL NEWS
Benefit Cheat Faces Jail
30 April 2008Public Relations
A Bedford man has started an 8 month jail sentence after pleading guilty to fraudulently claiming benefits totalling £22,970.
Mr Shamas Uddin of Aspley Road, Bedford, was jailed for a total of 8 months after admitting 11 offences relating to benefit fraud.
Bedford Magistrates Court heard Mr Uddin first claimed Housing and Council Tax Benefit in March 1997 and continued to claim for nearly ten years until January 2007.
As the result of an investigation by Bedford Borough Council it was established that Uddin held at least 7 bank accounts which he had not declared to the authority. The level of capital held by Mr Uddin peaked in January 2007 with funds in excess of £27,000. A decision was made that Mr Uddin was not entitled to Housing and Council Tax Benefit from April 2002.
On 28 February 2008 Mr Uddin pleaded guilty to all eleven charges. The magistrates decided that because of certain aggravating features namely ‘the offences were very serious and over a long period involving large amounts and that Mr. Uddin had tried to evade detection even after he had been confronted with the offence’, their sentencing powers were insufficient and he was committed to the Luton Crown Court for sentencing.
During the sentencing at Luton Crown Court on 18 April 2008, His Honour Judge Gareth Davies stated that: -
“I have allowed full credit for early pleas of guilty and his previous good character at age 41 and I have noted his family commitments. I now have to consider the seriousness of what you have done by the commission of these 11 offences.
You have obtained benefit to the value of £23,000 over a period of 5 years. It began when you were legitimately entitled and you obviously saw the opportunity to take matters into a dishonest area.
No doubt part of the proceeds were for family support, but there is evidence that you were obtaining money for your own benefit.
You admit to having significant sums of money in a total of 7 bank accounts during the period of making these claims.
One bank account had circa £20,000 in and another circa £27,000 at one point.
I am told that the money belonged to others and you have been offered an opportunity to provide some more detailed explanation of this possibly by way of a Newton Hearing.
You have declined that opportunity and I have formed the view that you have undertaken a deliberate fraud for your own benefit.
The Pre sentence report recommends a Community Order with an unpaid work requirement but I am sentencing you to 8 months in custody concurrent for all 11 offences. Because of the mitigating factors in your case you will serve half of this in custody and then you will get released on licence for the remainder”.
Iain Herron, Senior Fraud Investigation Officer, stated that:
"Fraud is not acceptable and Bedford Borough Council is committed to its prevention, deterrence and detection. We would hope that this sentence sends a strong message out to criminals that if you try to defraud the system you will be caught and you will face tough penalties, including jail. We would like to encourage people to report those they suspect of committing Housing or Council Tax Benefit fraud by calling the benefit fraud hotline on 0800 917 8491”.