A MAN who claimed he was bad at maths has walked free from court despite fraudulently claiming more than £13,000 in benefits.

Raymond Knox failed to inform the authorities when he was given a large inheritance.

Knox, 52, of Grosvenor Road, Billingham, declared that he had £1,163 in two bank accounts when he filled in a declaration to receive benefits in August 2012.

But investigators later found he and his family had more than £20,000 spread across various bank accounts.

Paul Reid, prosecuting, said that when questioned Knox understood he could not have capital of more than £16,000 to claim income support.

Mr Reid added: “He said he didn’t think that he had savings of more than £16,000.

“Until he was shown the evidence he was somewhat vague about the amount he and his family had by way of investments. He said it was from an inheritance in 2008.

“He said ‘as I said at the beginning I’m bad at maths and counting out – I didn’t know I had that amount of money’.”

Andrew White, mitigating, said his client had worked for more than 20 years as a railway plate layer, however the family was forced to rely on benefits when he suffered a bad back and his wife became ill with epilepsy.

“It is correct that he does struggle with official forms – he has suffered from dyslexia from being a child,” Mr White said.

“He has been a fool. These proceedings have had a salutary effect on the defendant. He has found the whole experience extremely traumatic.”

Knox admitted three charges of benefit fraud at an earlier hearing.

Handing him a six-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, Judge Peter Armstrong told the defendant: “This crosses the custody threshold, however you are repaying the money and there is to be a proceeds of crime application that will recoup any that is outstanding.”