A MAN has been fined for falsely claiming almost £3,000 in benefits after telling the authorities he was unemployed.
At Darlington Magistrates’ Court today (Tuesday, May 14) Joseph Betteridge, 39, pleaded guilty to making false statements to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to claim £3,417 in Jobseeker’s Allowance and housing and council tax benefits.
He also pleaded guilty to failing to notify the DWP of a change in his circumstances likely to affect his benefit entitlement.
Magistrates were told that Betteridge, of Fulford Place, Darlington, had already started repaying the money he wrongly received between October 2011 and January 2012.
He was fined a total of £215 in court charges.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article